A billboard highlighting a Kenyan resort purchased with money stolen from Minnesota taxpayers was set to hit highways as part of a new ad campaign targeting Gov. Tim Walz’s leadership.
But the ad was stopped by the company paid to display it, Outfront Media, according to Rep. Kristin Robbins’ campaign.
Robbins, of Maple Grove, is running for governor in 2026 and recently launched an ad blitz called “Fight the Fraud,” pledging to end what she describes as a “culture of waste, abuse, and criminal schemes that have flourished” under Gov. Walz.
Her campaign’s digital mock-up shows the Karibu Palms Resort in Diani Beach, with a tagline criticizing Walz for allowing fraudsters to spend taxpayer money overseas.
Federal prosecutors say a defendant in the Feeding Our Future case, Liban Yasin Alishire, used public funds to purchase luxury items such as the Kenyan resort.
Additionally, a June 2024 report on the Feeding Our Future scandal from the independent Office of the Legislative auditor found that the Walz administration “failed to act on warning signs,” “did not effectively exercise its authority,” and “was ill-prepared to respond.”
The report said the Walz administration’s “inadequate oversight of Feeding Our Future created opportunities for fraud.”
Billboard blocked
Outfront Media, the national billboard company whose signs line interstates across the country, rejected the ad, the Robbins campaign explained.
An agency working with the Robbins campaign to help place the ad contacted Outfront Media and reported back.
“I just got off the phone with Outfront Media (the owner and operator for the digital billboard), and unfortunately, their legal team will not allow us to move forward with the current creative,” the agency said.
“They reviewed the information the team provided earlier and were unable to find anything directly connecting Tim Walz to the claim. Per their company policy, any ad considered an ‘attack ad’ must have clear evidence to substantiate the claim.”
Outfront told the Robbins campaign to “provide additional information that directly links Tim Walz to the claim or submit [an] entirely new creative,” according to the email.
Robbins, who chairs the House’s fraud prevention committee, called the decision “outrageous,” and noted that one of the company’s board members previously served as chair of the Florida Democratic Party.
“As Governor, the buck stops with Tim Walz, and under his watch, fraud has run rampant,” said Robbins. “It is outrageous that the liberal media continues to cover up for Walz, but we will not be silenced. We will continue to sound the alarm about the rampant fraud under Tim Walz, and as Governor, I will put an end to this wasteful nonsense.”
Alpha News reached out to Outfront Media for comment but did not receive a response.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
