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American News Dec 31, 2025
Harmeet Dhillon warns states: don’t target journalists probing Somali daycare fraud or they will have ‘splainin to do’
“ANY state official who chills or threatens to chill a journalist’s 1A rights will have some ‘splainin to do."
Hayden Cunningham
Dec 31, 2025
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice Harmeet Dhillon said her office will investigate any state official who threatens a journalist’s First Amendment rights.
Dhillon responded on X to reports that the Washington State Attorney General’s Office accused journalists of “harassment” for investigating alleged fraud at Somali-run daycare centers.
“ANY state official who chills or threatens to chill a journalist’s 1A rights will have some ‘splainin to do. [DOJ Civil Rights Division] takes potential violations of 18 USC § 242 seriously! Govern yourselves accordingly!” Dhillon posted.
Her comments come amid viral reporting in Minnesota by independent journalist Nick Shirley, who has drawn national attention for visiting daycare centers receiving government funding. Shirley’s reporting showed a lack of children, poor building conditions, and facilities that appeared largely empty, raising questions about possible fraud.
https://thepostmillennial.com/harmeet-dhillon-warns-states-dont-target-journalists-probing-somali-daycare-fraud-or-they-will
