MN Democrats Condemn 'Unhinged' State Flag Conspiracy Theory

ST. PAUL, MN — The head of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is speaking out against a viral right-wing conspiracy theory linking an early version of the new Minnesota state flag to Somalia.

State Republican Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar was among those this week who shared the theory on social media. Other versions of the conspiracy theory specifically claimed that Minnesota was conquered by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and other Somali refugees.

In a statement Wednesday, DFL Chairman Ken Martin wrote that "it’s embarrassing that Representative Natalie Zeleznikar would default to partisan politics over something as simple as a new state flag," adding that "having accomplished nothing for her district, Natalie Zeleznikar has now decided to double down on conspiracy theories and culture wars instead of governing."

Zeleznikar represents District 3B in northern Minnesota, which the DFL is working to flip blue next election.

Martin is not the only Minnesota Democrat to address the flag conspiracy theory. Omar — who became an American citizen after moving to the United States as a Somali refugee — light-heartedly addressed it as well.

Misinformation about the new state flag selection process continues to spread, including a false claim that the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission "last-minute changes" to the new state flag "following intense backlash against the original redesign."

In fact, the "original design" the account referenced was never selected to be the final version of the flag.