Politico's Josh Gerstein torched over daycare fraud investigation remarks

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BREAKING: Feds investigate Minnesota fraud after viral video

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says federal agents are being deployed to Minnesota to investigate allegations of widespread fraud.

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Politico reporter Josh Gerstein faced blowback on social media after he suggested that, "at some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors" of home daycare centers in Minnesota would intersect with the state's "robust stand-your-ground laws."

Gerstein’s Monday night post on X appeared to reference an investigation by independent journalist Nick Shirley on alleged widespread fraud at Minnesota daycare centers, which went viral earlier this week.

In the 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube, Shirley documented visits to several daycare centers in the blue state, many of which appeared largely inactive despite continuing to receive state funding.

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Homeland Security investigators were part of a large fraud investigation on Monday in Minneapolis following the release of a video over the weekend on alleged day care fraud.  (Department of Homeland Security)

X users were quick to criticize the Politico reporter, accusing him of suggesting home daycare operators could invoke stand-your-ground laws to deter journalists from investigating allegations of fraud.

One commenter slammed Gerstein for "inciting people to shoot journalists investigating fraud," while keeping the threat "veiled enough" to avoid legal consequences.

"'It’s legal to shoot journalists' is certainly an interesting take from Politico," Author Daniel Friedman commented under Gerstein's post.

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Politico's logo on their website. (Screenshot/Politico)

Gerstein, who works as Politico's senior legal affairs reporter, was also mocked for his understanding of Minnesota's gun laws. One commenter told the reporter, "Not in Minnesota you ill informed putz. Minnesota is a duty to retreat state," to which Gerstein replied, "Not in your home."

While Minnesota is not a stand-your-ground state, the state does follow the Castle Doctrine at home — so a person is not required to retreat from an intruder in their house — but outside the home, Minnesota law generally requires individuals to retreat if it is safe to do so before using force.

WTB Radio host Pete Kaliner touched on this exact distinction, asking, "Shouldn't a legal affairs reporter know the difference between stand-your-ground law and castle doctrine?"

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Conservative commentator Eddie Scarry offered a similar criticism of Gerstein, quipping that it's "fascinating" a legal affairs reporter would think "that’s what stand your ground laws permit."

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck jokingly asked Gerstein if the state's gun laws were the reason Politico "didn’t try to expose the fraud" allegedly taking place in Minnesota's daycares.

"We've reached the 'why don't we just shoot these people who are embarrassing us' phase," historian Carl Paulus wrote.

Politico and Gerstein did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Agents with the Department of Homeland Security in a Minneapolis store. The agency on Tuesday said it had launched an operation to identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are suspected of fraud.  (Department of Homeland Security)

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