Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) wants to give one of Congress's highest civilian honors to Nick Shirley, an independent journalist whose investigation into alleged welfare fraud in Minnesota sent shockwaves through the state's political establishment.
Rep. Crane recently introduced legislation to award Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal. The proposed recognition comes after Shirley released a video investigation in late December that documented massive fraud within Minnesota's Somali immigrant community.
"I'm proud to introduce this bill to award Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of his exemplary work," Crane said in a statement. "His efforts to shed light on this historic scandal have resulted in seismic shifts to our political landscape virtually overnight."
Shirley's 43-minute investigation featured him and a Minneapolis resident, David, visiting multiple child care centers allegedly operated by Somali immigrants.
The video claimed to uncover fraud totaling over $110 million against U.S. taxpayers, though in a follow-up interview, David estimated $100 billion.
Additional Claims
David then continued to make sweeping claims about corruption in Minnesota's welfare and voting systems. He alleged that Governor Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) were involved in the fraud scheme and suggested that they had allowed it to continue unchecked.
According to Crane, the Trump administration moved to freeze federal funding to businesses accused in the report. Additionally, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) ended his reelection campaign.
Crane then framed Shirley's work as symbolic of a larger shift in American media and government accountability.
"Nick Shirley is a fearless citizen journalist who stood up to a corrupt system and exposed waste, fraud, and abuse being perpetrated against the American people," he said. The congressman characterized the investigation as "a testament to the power of the average American over the legacy media.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the nation's highest civilian awards, previously awarded to figures such as Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and the Tuskegee Airmen.
Whether Shirley's legislation gains traction in Congress remains to be seen, but Crane believes the journalist's work warrants national recognition.
