I published a substantial story at The Intercept on Monday, about Minnesota’s longtime attorney general— Lori Swanson — who former and current employees told me uses her office routinely for political purposes, advancing those who show willingness to work on her campaigns. When I got to Minneapolis earlier this summer, I learned this was something of an “open secret” in local political and legal circles, but never something that’s been reported to the wider public.
One woman who worked as Swanson’s executive assistant for three years told me “there’s no question” that raises and promotions were tied to whether staffers were willing to work on campaign events. “I saw it directly, including for senior staff who were given raises beyond what other people were given because they were politically supportive and politically involved in her campaign,” she said.
After hearing from employees that Swanson relied on government staff for her campaigns, we looked at her campaign finance records. Here’s data on the 10 candidates with the highest campaign expenditures in Minnesota this season:
Her attorney general campaign committee, which has spent $660,000 since the beginning of 2014, also does not report a single dollar of payroll or employee expense. (Her campaign spokesperson told us they’re “volunteer-driven.”)
The piece details a number of other allegations against Swanson, including that she union-busted her own office.
You can read the story here.
Since the piece has come out, the Swanson campaign has launched some grasping-for-straws attacks, claiming that the Intercept’s owners are trying to settle some old fued with a company Swanson sued years six years ago.
“The billionaire who runs First Look Media has direct ties to the billionaire who runs two businesses, Accretive Health and the National Arbitration Forum, that Attorney General Swanson sued and from which she recovered millions of dollars for the people of Minnesota” her office stated earlier today.
As one of my editors summed up in his reaction:
So Swanson went after 2 rich people in 2009 and 2012. To get revenge, they had their rich friend start a website in 2014 that would write a negative piece about Swanson in 2018.
That's playing the long game.
Sometimes when you’re speaking out against powerful interests, you need to do so anonymously. It’s not ideal, it raises all kinds of risks and challenges, but it’s also an indispensable part of what it often takes to get at the truth. It’s up to the reporter to investigate how credible the sources are.
Here were some notable reactions after the piece came out:
As a former employee I can confirm many of these practices. Thank you to these courageous eight who decided to stand up and say something! #MNGovhttps://t.co/DDmsJQniK6 by @rmc031
August 7, 2018I’ve known many fellow attorneys over the years who worked at the AG’s office under Hatch and Swanson. This story is consistent with everything they told me. #MNGOV https://t.co/ZdDhdOfnXB
August 7, 2018It's been hard to watch what has happened to the Attorney General's Office under Hatch and then Swanson. Glad the truth is coming out. https://t.co/8pffZphy1K
August 7, 2018I worked for years at a state AG's office (though not in Minnesota), and I find much of this shocking. Using AAGs--some of the most devoted public servants--to stuff campaign mailers rather than do state's legal work is theft of some of the state's most important human capital. https://t.co/ANNiFMpMRq
August 7, 2018I am working on a follow-up now, with some new information that has come to my attention post-publication. More soon!
Great piece!