Minnesota Reformer is a left-of-center news organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that began in January 2020 as part of States Newsroom. ¹

Though the organization claims to have non-partisan news coverage, the commentary section of the publication is vehemently opposed to former President Donald Trump, with pieces labeling him an authoritarian who wants to run an authoritarian machine against his political enemies.

History

Minnesota Reformer began in January 2020 as part of States Newsroom. ² Minnesota Reformer accepts grants and donations through States Newsroom but claims that it retains full editorial independence. ³ States Newsroom claims that all reporting is non-partisan and Minnesota Reporter will label editorial content as commentary. ⁴

Commentaries

In a commentary in August 2023, editor-in-chief J. Patrick Coolican stated that President Joe Biden had “accomplished more important progressive policy priorities than any president since Lyndon Johnson” and called former President Donald Trump a “would -be authoritarian.” ⁵ Coolican went on to assert that if Trump were elected president again, he would pardon himself, arrest his foes, and run an authoritarian machine. ⁶

Coolican and Minnesota Reformer stated that on January 6, 2021, then-President Trump’s “frenzied rabble paraded up there [the Capitol] to intimidate and threaten violence against Vice President Mike Pence.” ⁷ Coolican claimed that “Trump showed he would employ illegal and even violent means to keep his grip on power, displaying the character of a wannabe despot.” ⁸

Minnesota Reformer attacked Republican budget proposals in the U.S. House of Representatives as “cruelty toward people they don’t like.” ⁹

Minnesota Reformer stated the U.N. Climate Change Conference in 2024 didn’t do enough to phase out fossil fuels and advocated for Minnesota to continue its goal to be 100 percent clean energy by 2040 and carbon neutral by 2050. Minnesota Reformer wants to end the use of coal and eventually gas. ¹⁰

Guest Commentaries

Minnesota Reformer accepts commentaries from outside individuals. ¹¹ In the past, it has published an article calling for the public financing of childcare to supplement or replace tuition. ¹²

Employment law attorney Marshall Tanick is a frequent contributor writing articles criticizing Donald Trump and his legal defenses. Tanick also criticized Hunter Biden’s criminal defense team. ¹³

Minnesota Reformer also published a commentary by Tanick criticizing Chief Justice John Roberts in the Harvard race-based university admissions case claiming that Chief Justice Roberts believed “racism no longer exists in America” and “lives in a colorblind fantasyland.” ¹⁴

1. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Welcome to the Minnesota Reformer.” Minnesota Reformer. January 14, 2020. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2020/01/14/welcome-to-the-minnesota-reformer/.
2. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Welcome to the Minnesota Reformer.” Minnesota Reformer. January 14, 2020. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2020/01/14/welcome-to-the-minnesota-reformer/.
3. “About Us.” Minnesota Reformer. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/about/.
4. “About.” States Newsroom. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/about/; Coolican, J. Patrick. “Welcome to the Minnesota Reformer.” Minnesota Reformer. January 14, 2020. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2020/01/14/welcome-to-the-minnesota-reformer/.
5. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Democrats Should Listen to Dean Phillips, or Catastrophe May Await.” Minnesota Reformer August 7, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/08/07/democrats-should-listen-to-dean-phillips-or-catastrophe-may-await/.
6.  Coolican, J. Patrick. “Democrats Should Listen to Dean Phillips, or Catastrophe May Await.” Minnesota Reformer August 7, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/08/07/democrats-should-listen-to-dean-phillips-or-catastrophe-may-await/.
7. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Minnesota GOP Congressional Delegation Bends the Knee.” Minnesota Reformer. January 8, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/01/08/minnesota-gop-congressional-delegation-pines-for-a-despot/.
8. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Minnesota GOP Congressional Delegation Bends the Knee.” Minnesota Reformer. January 8, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/01/08/minnesota-gop-congressional-delegation-pines-for-a-despot/.
9. Coolican, J. Patrick. “Never Mind the House GOP Drama – Pay Attention to What They’re Proposing, Like Cutting Teachers.” Minnesota Reformer. October 4, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/10/04/nevermind-the-house-gop-drama-pay-attention-to-what-theyre-poposing-like-cutting-teachers/.
10.  Harrington, Joe. “Inaction at COP28 Should Motivate Us to Act Locally.” Minnesota Reformer. February 8, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/02/08/inaction-at-cop28-should-motivate-us-to-act-locally/.
11. “About Us.” Minnesota Reformer. Accessed March 10, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/about/.
12. Finn, Celeste. “We Can Have Quality, Affordable Childcare and Pay a Living Wage, But We Must Have Public Funding. Minnesota Reformer. December 6, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/06/we-can-have-quality-affordable-child-care-and-pay-a-living-wage-but-we-must-have-public-funding/.
13.  Tanick, Marshall H. “The Flimsy Criminal Defenses of America’s Most Elite Defendants.” Minnesota Reformer. December 20, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/20/the-flimsy-criminal-defenses-of-americas-most-elite-defendants/; Tanick, Marshall H. “The Many Oddities of the Trump Immunity Case.” Minnesota Reformer. February 23, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/02/23/the-many-oddities-of-the-trump-immunity-case/; Tanick, Marshall H. “Is Trump ‘Too Busy’ To Follow the Law?” Minnesota Reformer. June 27, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/06/27/is-trump-too-busy-to-follow-the-law/.
14. Tanick, Marshall H. “John Roberts Lives in a Colorblind Fantasyland.” Minnesota Reformer. July 11, 2023. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/07/11/john-roberts-lives-in-a-colorblind-fantasyland/.