Independent journalist Nick Shirley recently hinted at a new series of investigations into alleged fraud in Minnesota, suggesting it could lead to a strong reaction from mainstream media. Last week, he released a 42-minute video examining a Minnesota daycare center that seemed inactive yet had received millions in government funding. This surprising video has garnered over 134 million views on X alone, sparking a federal investigation and prompting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all childcare payments in the state.
Following the video’s release, established news networks like CNN have faced criticism for allegedly attempting to undermine Shirley’s findings, framing them as merely a “viral video.” Journalist Stella Escobedo remarked on X that this situation highlights issues with traditional news outlets, which drew a response from Shirley. He mentioned, “Wait until you post part 2. They’re going to go crazy.”
Shirley has previously taken aim at a CBS News reporter who downplayed his work, while PBS described him as a “right-wing influencer” making unfounded claims about the Minnesota daycare’s activities. The New York Times characterized his investigation as a “single viral video,” and NPR featured comments from a media law professor who suggested Shirley was simply trying to support a personal narrative.
News Busters contributor Steve Malzberg noted that several CNN broadcasts claimed Shirley had a history of sharing “anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim videos,” but offered no details. Furthermore, CNN faced mockery after correspondent Whitney Wilde interviewed Shirley on “Anderson Cooper 360,” questioning him about his investigative methods.
During the segment, Wilde disclosed that the network was “looking into” Shirley’s claims. However, she noted that many daycare centers he tried to contact did not answer her calls. “Only one daycare facility responded that it was a legitimate business,” she stated, leading to social media backlash as viewers suggested CNN was focusing more on Shirley than on the corruption allegations in Minneapolis.
Shirley had shared on X his perspective that mainstream media seemed angrier with him than at the misuse of billions in taxpayer dollars on fraudulent businesses. Meanwhile, Minnesota authorities have pushed back against the claims made in Shirley’s video. Tikki Brown, the director of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, mentioned in a recent news conference that previous investigations had found no evidence of fraud. “We have questions about some of the techniques used in the video, but we take the concerns raised about fraud very seriously,” Brown added.
