GOP ethics complaint alleges conflict by DFL Senate President Bobby Joe Champion
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Minnesota Senate Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Senate President Bobby Joe Champion that cites concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
In the complaint filed Thursday, six GOP lawmakers argue that Champion violated Senate ethics rules by carrying legislation that could financially benefit his legal client without disclosing the connection.
The Minnesota Reformer, an online news site, reported earlier this month that Champion represented the Rev. Jerry McAfee on a pro bono basis in 2022. Then in 2023, Champion brought economic development legislation that funded McAfee's nonprofit 21 Days of Peace. The Star Tribune has added other instances where lines might have been blurred.
Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, said he was not representing McAfee at the time he moved the proposal forward and did not view it as a conflict of interest.
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“I was not paid for the legal work in question, and have a practice of not charging churches that ask me for legal support or advice,” Champion said in a statement. “Our conflict of interest rules cover situations that directly and financially benefit individual legislators. Because my work in this matter occurred in the past, and was unpaid, there was no potential conflict to disclose.”
He has since stepped down as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Ethics. Champion also requested that the panel issue an advisory opinion.
Republicans asked the subcommittee to go a step further and investigate whether Champion’s actions broke with Senate rules.
“This is a clear and deeply troubling case of a public official using their legislative position to potentially benefit their private legal clients,” Sen. Michael Kreun, R-Blaine, said in a news release. “With what we know, at a minimum this is a conflict of interest that warranted disclosure. At worst, it’s an abuse of public office for personal and professional gain.”
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, told MPR News on Friday that in a part-time Legislature it’s not uncommon that there could be crossover in terms of lawmakers’ outside employment and the subjects they cover. But Champion took it a step too far, he said.
“When you start naming individual groups and funding those groups that you are either working for or you expect to be working for, that crosses a line because it's impacting one individual and their ability to make money or have that relationship,” Johnson said. “So that this one really is something that we're concerned about.”
Some lawmakers, including Gov. Tim Walz, want an end to the practice of writing in specific nonprofit organizations in budget bills. Instead, nonprofits would have to go through a request for proposal process and be vetted by state agencies to receive state contracts and funding.