A video purporting to expose widespread fraud at Somali-owned day care centers in Minneapolis has sparked a frenzy on social media, with some outlets crediting the claims of an anonymous source known only as "David." However, an investigation by The Intercept has uncovered that this David is actually none other than David Hoch, a right-wing lobbyist and former candidate for Minnesota attorney general.
Hoch's ties to the Republican Party are well-documented, and his past postings on social media have included derogatory comments about Somalis and Muslims. He has long been active in online forums discussing issues related to immigration and cultural identity.
The Intercept found evidence that Hoch had received information about Somali-owned day care centers from a Republican staffer named Joe Marble, who works as a committee administrator for the Minnesota House Republicans. Marble and Hoch have also collaborated on lobbying efforts in the past, including work with the gambling industry.
Despite this, Hoch has claimed that his research was suppressed, and he has praised President Donald Trump for "testing the boundaries" of power. The Intercept has found no evidence to support these claims, but rather suggests that Hoch may be using his research as a smokescreen for his own anti-Muslim agenda.
The video in question features Nick Shirley, a right-wing YouTuber who has gained popularity for his conspiracy theories about Somali immigrants. Shirley interviewed Hoch and visited several day care centers in Minneapolis, claiming to expose widespread fraud. However, the investigation has revealed that the allegations made by Shirley and Hoch are largely baseless and may have been fabricated.
The Trump administration's response to the video was swift, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announcing an "investigation" into child care funds in Minnesota. The Intercept has found no evidence to support this claim, but rather suggests that it may be a thinly veiled attempt to target Somali immigrants and day care centers.
As the controversy surrounding this video continues to unfold, one thing is clear: misinformation and conspiracy theories can have serious consequences for vulnerable communities like Somali immigrants. It is essential that we hold those who spread false information accountable and support fact-based reporting and journalism.
Hoch's ties to the Republican Party are well-documented, and his past postings on social media have included derogatory comments about Somalis and Muslims. He has long been active in online forums discussing issues related to immigration and cultural identity.
The Intercept found evidence that Hoch had received information about Somali-owned day care centers from a Republican staffer named Joe Marble, who works as a committee administrator for the Minnesota House Republicans. Marble and Hoch have also collaborated on lobbying efforts in the past, including work with the gambling industry.
Despite this, Hoch has claimed that his research was suppressed, and he has praised President Donald Trump for "testing the boundaries" of power. The Intercept has found no evidence to support these claims, but rather suggests that Hoch may be using his research as a smokescreen for his own anti-Muslim agenda.
The video in question features Nick Shirley, a right-wing YouTuber who has gained popularity for his conspiracy theories about Somali immigrants. Shirley interviewed Hoch and visited several day care centers in Minneapolis, claiming to expose widespread fraud. However, the investigation has revealed that the allegations made by Shirley and Hoch are largely baseless and may have been fabricated.
The Trump administration's response to the video was swift, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announcing an "investigation" into child care funds in Minnesota. The Intercept has found no evidence to support this claim, but rather suggests that it may be a thinly veiled attempt to target Somali immigrants and day care centers.
As the controversy surrounding this video continues to unfold, one thing is clear: misinformation and conspiracy theories can have serious consequences for vulnerable communities like Somali immigrants. It is essential that we hold those who spread false information accountable and support fact-based reporting and journalism.
This whole thing with the Somali day care centers in Minneapolis is just a perfect example of how quickly misinformation can spread and cause harm 
. I mean, first off, some anonymous guy named David (who's actually just a right-wing lobbyist) comes out with these wild claims about widespread fraud at day care centers run by Somali owners. And people are like "oh no, this must be true!" before even doing any fact-checking.
. I mean, we know he's got history of making derogatory comments about Somalis and Muslims on social media. And now, he's using this supposed "exposé" to try and stir up trouble and get some attention for himself.
. I mean, we all know that conspiracy theories about Somali immigrants are just a bunch of BS, but he's still got thousands of people believing him and sharing his content.
. We need to be more vigilant about fact-checking and supporting real journalism, not just spreading conspiracy theories like wildfire 
omg just saw that David Hoch from The Intercept exposed as the anonymous source behind a fake video about Somali-owned daycare centers in Minneapolis 
he's got ties to the Republican Party and has been spewing hate speech on social media for years 
no way dude, you're just trying to cover your tracks and spin a narrative that fits your own agenda 
which is basically just a thinly veiled attempt to target Somali immigrants and day care centers 
we need to call out this kind of misinformation and conspiracy theory nonsense ASAP 
.
and now he's using his "investigation" as a cover for his own anti-Muslim agenda? 
the trump admin's response to this "scandal" is also suspicious - it feels like they're trying to distract us from real issues while targeting vulnerable communities like somali immigrants 
. This David Hoch guy, who's actually a right-wing lobbyist, had nothin' to do with any real investigation and was just tryin' to stir up some drama. And don't even get me started on Nick Shirley, that YouTuber dude... he's got a whole history of spreadin' conspiracy theories about Somali immigrants 
. This is what happens when you let misinformation run wild and people start gettin' worked up over nothin'. We gotta be more careful about what we share online and make sure we're supportin' fact-based reporting, not spreadin' rumors and lies 
This whole thing just makes me so sad... I'm all about getting to the truth, but it looks like someone's trying to use misinformation as a way to stir up trouble. 
The fact that David Hoch is behind this and has ties to some pretty sketchy characters is just mind-blowing. And what's even more disturbing is that people are actually eating it up on social media! 
We need to be so much more careful about where we get our news from, especially when it comes to things like this that can affect whole communities.
The problem is, now we've got even more platforms and tools at our disposal, so people can spread their lies to an audience of millions in a heartbeat. 
We've got to do better than this.
we need to fact-check this guy ASAP and hold him accountable for his words. I'm so tired of conspiracy theories spreading misinformation and hurting people 
. I mean, sure he's got some sketchy past comments on social media, but so what? People change their minds, right? And let's be real, if he was just trying to expose some real wrongdoing, why did he need to go and claim his research was suppressed? That sounds like a classic deflection tactic 
.
. But The Intercept found zero evidence to support that claim 
. We gotta hold people like Hoch accountable for spreading false info and support fact-based reporting instead 
Give me a break!
. And now we've got the Trump administration jumping on the bandwagon with some totally unsubstantiated claims 
.
It's like they're trying to distract us from all the real issues. Anyway, I'm so glad The Intercept did their due diligence and blew this whole thing wide open. We need more fact-checking and less fake news out there. 
! Like, who tries to pass off a right-wing lobbyist as an anonymous source 
. It's all so predictable 
The Intercept did some serious digging 
and exposed Hoch for what he is: a pawn in the game of misinformation 
. And now the Trump admin is using this as an excuse to target Somali immigrants? 
.
. We gotta keep our heads in the game 
and not let misinformation get the best of us