Minneapolis just got another reminder of why things keep spiraling in the city under Mayor Jacob Frey.
Abdi Salah, a former senior advisor to the mayor, was arrested for driving while intoxicated and refusing to submit to blood and urine tests. This comes after he already pleaded guilty in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme that stole millions in federal funds meant for kids’ meals.
It just keeps getting worse up there.
What makes this especially awkward is what Salah was saying just days earlier. In a clip that’s now circulating, he told a crowd that “Somalians are not disgusting or garbage!”
The video that didn’t aged well:
The timing could not be worse. Residents in Minneapolis have watched endless stories of crime, fraud, and dysfunction tied to some of the very officials and advisors who are supposed to be fixing things. Frey’s administration has faced criticism for years over everything from crime rates to handling of migrant communities and massive fraud scandals.
Salah’s background in the Feeding Our Future case already raised serious questions about accountability. Now this latest arrest adds fuel to the fire for those who say the city’s leadership has lost control.
Minneapolis has poured resources into various programs and outreach, yet problems like this keep surfacing. It’s no wonder more people are asking whether the current approach is actually working or just making things worse.
The mayor’s office and city officials haven’t issued major comments on the latest arrest yet, but the videos speak for themselves. Another chapter in the ongoing saga that has many wondering how much lower things can go before real change happens.
—
