Ethics Complaint Hearing Held For Sen. Bobby Joe Champion in St. Paul

ST. PAUL (KVRR/FOX9) — Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion is the focus of a hearing of the Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct.

Last month, Republicans filed an ethics complaint against the Democrat accusing him of violating Senate rules.

They claim Champion authored legislation in 2023 and 2025 directing $3 million to his client who runs the violence prevention organization 21 Days of Peace.

The complaint references news articles where Champion acknowledged the legal work but did not disclose it because it concluded before the start of the legislative session.

He says no money was exchanged for the pro-bono service.

“There certainly was an appearance of a conflict. He had information, that be obtained as a lawyer for Salem Inc. representing them in litigation,” said Sen. Michael Kreun, a Republican from Blaine.

“You’re saying under our Senate rules there’s now financial conflict that didn’t require disclosure fine, but if there are these circumstances that we think additional disclosures should be made then we should say that” said Champion who represents a section of Minneapolis.

A motion to find that Champion violated senate ethics rules failed along party lines.