A right-wing lobbyist, David Hoch, has been revealed as the source behind a viral video claiming that Somali-owned day care centers in Minneapolis are engaged in fraud. The video, which garnered millions of views on YouTube and sparked widespread attention on social media, was produced by Nick Shirley, a conservative YouTuber.
According to an investigation by The Intercept, Hoch is not only a lobbyist but also a former candidate for Minnesota attorney general, who ran on a platform opposed to Somali community interests. His online history is replete with derogatory statements about Somalis and Muslims, suggesting a clear agenda against the community.
Hoch's connections to the Republican Party are also significant, as he has worked with state Rep. Joe Marble, who is a committee administrator for the Minnesota House Republicans and a research consultant for the House GOP Caucus. Marble and Hoch were elementary school classmates, according to LinkedIn profiles.
The video in question shows Shirley and Hoch conducting an investigation into the day care centers, claiming that they are involved in fraud by showing up unannounced and scaring away staff members. However, footage obtained by CBS Minnesota reveals that children were indeed dropped off at the centers before and after Shirley's visit, casting doubt on his claims.
The Trump administration has taken notice of the video, freezing all child care funds to the state of Minnesota and demanding an audit of the day care centers. This move is seen as a thinly veiled attempt to undermine the Somali community in Minneapolis.
Far-right figures have praised Shirley's work, with some even comparing him to Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who revealed NSA surveillance secrets. However, this comparison ignores the fact that Shirley's video was heavily edited and cherry-picked facts to fit his narrative.
As The Intercept notes, it is crucial to approach such stories with a critical eye and not to give credence to misinformation. "We're independent of corporate interests — and powered by members," the publication declares, emphasizing its commitment to journalistic integrity in the face of an information war.
According to an investigation by The Intercept, Hoch is not only a lobbyist but also a former candidate for Minnesota attorney general, who ran on a platform opposed to Somali community interests. His online history is replete with derogatory statements about Somalis and Muslims, suggesting a clear agenda against the community.
Hoch's connections to the Republican Party are also significant, as he has worked with state Rep. Joe Marble, who is a committee administrator for the Minnesota House Republicans and a research consultant for the House GOP Caucus. Marble and Hoch were elementary school classmates, according to LinkedIn profiles.
The video in question shows Shirley and Hoch conducting an investigation into the day care centers, claiming that they are involved in fraud by showing up unannounced and scaring away staff members. However, footage obtained by CBS Minnesota reveals that children were indeed dropped off at the centers before and after Shirley's visit, casting doubt on his claims.
The Trump administration has taken notice of the video, freezing all child care funds to the state of Minnesota and demanding an audit of the day care centers. This move is seen as a thinly veiled attempt to undermine the Somali community in Minneapolis.
Far-right figures have praised Shirley's work, with some even comparing him to Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who revealed NSA surveillance secrets. However, this comparison ignores the fact that Shirley's video was heavily edited and cherry-picked facts to fit his narrative.
As The Intercept notes, it is crucial to approach such stories with a critical eye and not to give credence to misinformation. "We're independent of corporate interests — and powered by members," the publication declares, emphasizing its commitment to journalistic integrity in the face of an information war.
David Hoch is like a ticking time bomb just waiting to unleash hate and misinformation on unsuspecting communities...like those Somali day care centers in Minneapolis 
It's disgusting how he and his buddies Nick Shirley (that YouTuber is seriously some kind of creep) can just make up this crazy story and watch it blow up all over YouTube and social media 
And then the Trump administration jumps all over it like a hawk, freezing funds for those day cares...it's just so messed up 
I mean come on people, can't we see through this kinda stuff? The fact that Hoch is also some right-wing lobbyist who ran against Somali community interests and has a whole history of anti-Muslim rants online...it's like he's just trolling us all 
The Intercept is doing some great investigative work here, kudos to them for calling out the BS and keeping it real 
We need more publications like that holding our leaders accountable! 
this whole thing is just wild how one video can blow up into a full-blown scandal... i mean, who knew david hoch had such a personal vendetta against somalis? 
anyway, it's always good to see publications like the intercept holding people in power accountable for spreading misinformation. 
and honestly i'm kinda surprised it's not more people calling them out for this nonsense 
I mean, what's up with these right-wing lobbyists trying to stir up drama and then being caught red-handed! David Hoch's shady past and connections to the Republican Party are super concerning 
. We need more journalists like The Intercept holding people like Hoch accountable for their actions 
.
this whole thing just smells like a setup to me... david hoch is basically a master manipulator with a grudge against somalis 
and the fact that he's connected to joe marble, who's got ties to the republicans, just takes it to another level. i mean, what's next? freezing all child care funds in another state just because some far-right youtube personality says so? 
it's like we're living in a bad conspiracy theory movie... and btw, has anyone seen nick shirley's editing skills? 
he's got some serious skills at cherry-picking facts to fit his narrative. anyway, let's keep an eye on this story and see where it goes 
. It's not just about the Somali community being targeted here, it's about the way misinformation can snowball into something much bigger.
. We need more people like them, who are willing to call BS when they see it and fight for truth over profits or ideology 
The fact that this guy Shirley got praised by far-right figures is just wild... he's basically a modern-day spin doctor, but instead of working for a news outlet, he's making up stories to fit his own agenda 
. We need more investigative journalism like The Intercept to call out these kinds of manipulative tactics and expose the truth 
It was crazy how it went viral like that! But now we know the real story behind it... David Hoch, a lobbyist w/ a grudge against Somalis and Muslims, created the whole thing! 
And to make matters worse, his buddy Joe Marble is all connected to the Republicans. Like what's next? 
he was just cherry-picking facts to fit his narrative. It's not okay to bully and intimidate people like this. The Trump administration taking away child care funds from the Somali community is like, a total overreach... can't they just leave them alone? 
And what's up with these conservatives thinking they're above the law or something? 
. I'm not buying that Shirley's video was just a coincidence or a genuine exposé. It smells like a setup from day one 
. The fact that Hoch, who has a history of anti-Somali rhetoric, is behind it all raises so many red flags 
. And let's be real, the Trump admin's response is purely politicized 
. We need more critical thinking and less clickbait journalism 
.
. But, I gotta say, it's also kinda awesome that The Intercept is on top of this story and calling out misinformation 
his connections to the Republican Party are sketchy at best and the whole thing reeks of a setup 
what's even more disturbing is that far-right figures are praising him for "exposing" the truth