Former Republican attorney general candidate Jim Schultz said he has reached “successful outcomes” in two complaints made against him in the final days of the 2022 midterms.
In late October, the Minnesota DFL accused Schultz of illegally coordinating with an independent expenditure group, Minnesota for Freedom, by purchasing ads using the same agent.
The DFL argued that Minnesota for Freedom’s at least $847,000 in ad buys in support of Schultz should be considered a campaign contribution. Such a “contribution” would greatly exceed the $2,500 contribution limit.
Additionally, the DFL argued that Schultz was illegally accepting corporate contributions, a claim that the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board dismissed in October.
The CFB has now found that the coordination with Minnesota for Freedom was done by a third party and “without the knowledge of the Schultz committee.”
Schultz said he agreed to pay a charge of $1,000. This contrasts with the $3.3 million fine the DFL claimed Schultz would face. Schultz’s attorney, Chris Madel, told Alpha News that despite the lack of substance to the DFL’s claims, he advised Schultz that continuing to fight the claims had the potential to be very costly.
“Given the unfortunate realities of today’s legal system, it would have cost Jim literally hundreds of thousands of dollars to successfully defend himself against these baseless claims. Paying a de minimis fine with the Board acknowledging the Schultz campaign had no knowledge of third-party activities effectively exonerates Jim, who did nothing wrong —as was stipulated in the conciliation agreement. These proceedings are more a sad commentary on the weaponized state of today’s legal and political system than anything else,” Madel observed.
“As an outsider stepping into politics to serve the people of Minnesota, I was stunned by the baseless attacks against me by the Democrats and their allies, who spent more money against me than any candidate for attorney general in Minnesota’s history,” Schultz said. “Charges included everything from absurd attacks on my significant experience in the private sector, to disturbing attacks on my service in the Pentagon serving our men and women in uniform, to these other meritless claims.”
Schultz also faced an official complaint of violating the law from St. Paul city attorney Lyndsey Olson, a DFL donor who accused Schultz of falsely claiming the support of the St. Paul Police Department. Olson leveled the allegation despite the fact that Schultz was endorsed by countless sheriffs, police leaders, and law enforcement organizations, including the St. Paul Police Federation.
Olson objected to a Schultz ad featuring an officer with a St. Paul Police Federation badge.
Her claim was summarily dismissed by Administrative Law Judge James LaFave, who said he could not rule against Schultz given that his claim of police endorsement “is true.”
“Despite the attacks on my character and the unbelievable money spent against me by dark money groups funded by, among others, a billionaire oil heiress, we obtained more votes than any Republican state candidate in Minnesota history and a higher percentage of the vote for state office than any Republican candidate in nearly 30 years,” Schultz commented.
“Minnesota’s extreme left Democrats are experts at weaponizing government and the legal system to try to silence their opposition. For those who thought they could silence me, let me be clear: I will not be silenced. I will always fight for the people of Minnesota,” Schultz concluded.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
