By Phillip C. Parrish, LCDR USN (Ret.), Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
As a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer with 21 years of service in counterterrorism and foreign policy, and Minnesota’s original 2018 daycare fraud whistleblower, I’ve spent over two decades exposing the corruption and moral decay eroding our state. From the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal to the current administration’s failures under Governor Tim Walz—marked by unchecked fraud, questionable China ties, and a crumbling cannabis rollout—these aren’t new revelations. They’re symptoms of a deeper truth: those employing coercive tactics to maintain control are neither the majority nor true representatives of any minority. They are a small, self-serving group manipulating Minnesota for profit and power, and it’s time for us to reject their playbook of division and deceit.
This isn’t about left or right—it’s about right and wrong. The tactics used to silence, manipulate, and exploit Minnesotans reveal a calculated effort to prioritize personal gain over public good. These actions undermine our families, schools, and communities, normalizing moral decay, unhealthy life choices, and inappropriate behaviors under the guise of progress. Here’s the sobering reality of their strategy:
• Weaponizing government agencies against taxpayers. The very institutions we fund are turned against us. Under Attorney General Keith Ellison, small business owners like Lisa Hanson were jailed for defying lockdown orders, while the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud—looting programs meant to feed our children—was allowed to fester. This betrayal extends to social policies like the Trans Refuge Act, criticized for enabling out-of-state minors to access gender-affirming procedures without parental consent, potentially exacerbating childhood trauma and unhealthy identity exploration. This isn’t service; it’s exploitation for control.
• Demonizing truth-tellers to protect the status quo. Those who expose fraud or question moral decay are branded as threats. As a whistleblower, I faced dismissal from legacy media like the Star Tribune when I flagged daycare fraud in 2018, only for them to acknowledge it years later. Parents challenging policies like mandatory gender identity affirmation in schools—seen by critics as confusing young children and promoting unhealthy choices—are labeled bigots, silencing debate to shield entrenched interests. This isn’t inclusion; it’s intimidation for profit.
• Spending millions to silence dissent with Big Tech. Coordinated censorship, from the Biden administration’s pressure on platforms to suppress COVID-related content to the throttling of my own articles on X exposing Walz’s China ties, reveals a concerted effort to control narratives. Ellison’s support for restrictive social media laws, now facing lawsuits as “speech-police regimes,” and the muting of critics opposing drag performances in family settings show how far this goes. This isn’t free speech; it’s a purchased monopoly to protect power.
• Arresting critics while ignoring real crimes. Selective justice thrives under this administration. Ellison met with indicted Feeding Our Future figures in 2021, accepting donations while delaying action, yet aggressively pursued critics. The opioid crisis, with deaths doubling since 2019 under Walz, festers as lax enforcement enables unhealthy life choices, while policies banning conversion therapy silence therapeutic options for those struggling with identity. This isn’t justice; it’s favoritism for personal gain.
• Hiding moral decay and gaslighting the public. From normalizing terms like “minor attracted persons” to desensitize society to inappropriate sexual behaviors, to pushing failed policies like the fraud-riddled cannabis rollout, the administration distracts with fake narratives while real issues—like student loan fraud trapping Minnesotans in debt—go unaddressed. This isn’t progress; it’s manipulation for profit, sowing chaos in our communities.
These tactics expose a stark reality: those employing them are a small, self-serving group—neither the majority nor true defenders of any minority, regardless of race, color, or creed. They are instruments of those who knowingly inflict harm, sowing division under the guise of protection to secure power and profit. True leadership builds trust through transparency, not fear through suppression.
Minnesotans, this is our call to action. With over $1 billion lost to fraud under this administration and trust in our institutions crumbling, we must unite—teachers, nurses, small business owners, Republicans, Democrats, and independents—to challenge this coercion. Demand audits, share suppressed truths, and support leaders committed to servant leadership. As your next Governor in 2026, I’ll hold fraudsters accountable, fix broken policies like paid leave and student loans, and restore fiscal integrity to protect our families. Join me at parrish4mn.com to learn more, volunteer, or donate. Together, we’ll build a Minnesota rooted in truth, not division. The time for silence is over—let’s take back our state.
Phillip C. Parrish is a candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2026. Visit parrish4mn.com for more on his vision for ethical, community-focused leadership.
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