A right-wing lobbyist, David Hoch, is at the center of a controversy surrounding allegations of Somali-owned day care centers in Minneapolis being involved in fraud. Nick Shirley, a YouTube personality and self-proclaimed journalist, claimed that Hoch's research had uncovered widespread fraud at these centers but was forced to backtrack after it was revealed he did not know Hoch by name.
Hoch is actually a seasoned lobbyist who has made derogatory statements about Somalis and Muslims online. His connections to the Minnesota state House were discovered after Shirley shared video footage of him investigating day care centers near his office. Emails from Republican staffer Joe Marble, which Hoch received for research purposes, also revealed that he had ties to the state House.
Shirley's video sparked a frenzy on social media, with Trump administration figures and right-wing politicians praising the allegations, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced an investigation into childcare centers in Minneapolis. However, as details emerged, it became clear that Hoch was not just any ordinary whistleblower but rather a seasoned lobbyist with questionable motives.
The Intercept has identified Shirley's video as one of several instances where far-right groups have used dubious sources to spread misinformation and incite fear among immigrant communities. While Shirley maintained that his intentions were pure, his actions have left many questioning the credibility of his claims.
In an interview on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast, Shirley stated that Hoch's research had been suppressed, further muddying the waters. As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the spread of misinformation and fear-mongering tactics by far-right groups can have devastating consequences for marginalized communities.
Hoch is actually a seasoned lobbyist who has made derogatory statements about Somalis and Muslims online. His connections to the Minnesota state House were discovered after Shirley shared video footage of him investigating day care centers near his office. Emails from Republican staffer Joe Marble, which Hoch received for research purposes, also revealed that he had ties to the state House.
Shirley's video sparked a frenzy on social media, with Trump administration figures and right-wing politicians praising the allegations, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced an investigation into childcare centers in Minneapolis. However, as details emerged, it became clear that Hoch was not just any ordinary whistleblower but rather a seasoned lobbyist with questionable motives.
The Intercept has identified Shirley's video as one of several instances where far-right groups have used dubious sources to spread misinformation and incite fear among immigrant communities. While Shirley maintained that his intentions were pure, his actions have left many questioning the credibility of his claims.
In an interview on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast, Shirley stated that Hoch's research had been suppressed, further muddying the waters. As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the spread of misinformation and fear-mongering tactics by far-right groups can have devastating consequences for marginalized communities.
this whole thing just smells like a setup to me... i mean, you got david hoch, a lobbyist with some pretty shady history online, and then nick shirley comes along claiming he's uncovered some massive fraud at somali-owned day care centers in minneapolis... but the more i learn about it, the more it seems like shirley was just trying to get some clicks on his youtube video. 
and now homeland security secretary kristi noem is jumping on the bandwagon with an investigation? 
come on, that's just crazy talk. and don't even get me started on hoch's connections to the minnesota state house... it's like he was already trying to stir up some trouble before shirley even went live on video.
it's just so cynical and manipulative. i mean, the fact that homer security secretary was praising shirley's claims right off the bat? 
that's just not okay.
this whole thing just smells like a setup 
and i'm not buying it... david hoch sounds like a dodgy lobbyist who's trying to stir up trouble 
meanwhile, those trump admin folks are just jumping on the bandwagon and spreading fear about somali-owned day care centers... what's really going on here? 
first off, who does this guy even know? And why is Joe Marble getting emails from him? that's some serious connections right there 
it smells like a setup to me. and what's with the timing? Trump administration figures are all over it like vultures 
and Kristi Noem jumps on board too... what's really going on here? And Nick Shirley is just like "oh I'm a journalist" 
but we all know he's just trying to get clicks and attention. this whole thing reeks of far-right propaganda 
... I mean, on one hand, I get it, folks need to be held accountable for their actions, right? But David Hoch's whole history is just, like, super sketchy 
. And Nick Shirley's video was literally just using a bunch of questionable sources and then acting all shocked when people called him out on it 
... And don't even get me started on Trump administration figures praising this stuff - it's like, come on guys, you gotta do better than that 
... As a society, we need to be way more careful about where our info comes from and who's spreading it, you know? We gotta protect these communities from being targeted by people who just want to stir up drama 
.
. I mean, I was at a protest back in '07 when the Somali refugees were first moving to the States, and we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into 
.