Reporter: Young DFL Threatened to Yank Access to Candidates After Negative Press

An alleged email shows the president of the Minnesota Young Democratic Farmer and Labor Party (MYDFL) threatening to remove access to candidates following recent unfavorable press coverage of a DFL candidate.

Tom Lyden, an investigative reporter for FOX 9, tweeted the screenshot of what appears to be an email from the MYDFL President Conrad Zbikowski threatening to remove access from candidates unless he and his managers apologize for a recent ingestive report they published on DFL-endorsed candidate Ilhan Omar.

The alleged email reads:

"If the Illhan campaign does not receive a written apology from you and management for the piece on made up [expletive] by tomorrow morning at 9:00am, you will lose access to interview any candidate endorse by the Minnesota Young DFL through November 9, which will be as many as take the pledge by 6:30pm tomorrow night when our board meets."

In the tweet, Lyden said "I love this threat from the Pres. of the Young DFL. Petulance at its finest."

The story referenced appears to be one recently published by Lyden about marriage certificate questions surrounding Omar. Omar defeated 22-term Rep. Phyllis Kahn in the DFL primary.

Former University of Minnesota student body president and current MYDFL Vice President Joelle Stangler pushed back on the report via Twitter Monday:

The reaction to Lyden's screenshot of the alleged email was swift, with Twin Cities media personnel and residents largely coming to the defense of Lyden and condemning what appears to be MYDFL's threat against him.

Patch will continue to update this story.

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