Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota, April 5, 2025
Minnesotans deserve leaders they can trust—leaders who put the people first, not their own pockets or political cronies. The recent revelations about Senate President Bobby Joe Champion are a glaring example of the ethical rot festering within the Minnesota DFL. Champion, a man who sits in judgment on the Senate’s ethics committee, has been caught steering millions in taxpayer dollars to a former legal client, Rev. Jerry McAfee, through suspicious grants—$3 million in 2023, and now another $1 million proposed just weeks ago. And what do we see in return? Maximum campaign donations from McAfee and his wife flowing right back to Champion’s coffers. This isn’t public service; it’s a pay-to-play scheme.
Worse still, Champion allegedly threatened to withhold state aid from a school district unless they bowed to his demands to fund McAfee’s group. When the ethics committee took up the issue, it conveniently deadlocked—leaving Minnesotans with no answers and no accountability. This is the same DFL leadership that lectures us about fairness while their own house is a mess.
I’m calling on Bobby Joe Champion to step down from his leadership role and fully explain himself to the people of Minnesota. But this isn’t just about one man—it’s about a pattern. The Minnesota DFL has shown time and again that they’re more interested in consolidating power and rewarding insiders than serving the hardworking families of this state. From skyrocketing budgets to questionable deals, they’ve lost the moral authority to lead.
As your candidate for Governor in 2026, I pledge to root out this kind of corruption and restore integrity to St. Paul. We need a government that works for all Minnesotans—not just the well-connected few. It’s time for the DFL to answer for their failures, and it’s time for change.