A campaign finance case involving Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Lindell will move ahead after a judge ruled Thursday that there is probable cause to believe he broke state campaign law by handing out pillows promoting his bid during a Fourth of July parade.
The allegations stem from a complaint filed July 22, which said Lindell “threw pillows to spectators” at the parade in Delano, Minnesota. According to the complaint, the pillows were packaged with the words “Mike Lindell for Governor” and had an estimated value of $34.95 each.
Lindell, who recently stepped down as CEO of MyPillow, acknowledged during Thursday’s hearing that he and campaign workers distributed the pillows, which included campaign messaging. He disputed the valuation, saying the campaign bought the pillows at a wholesale price of $4.90 apiece.
He also told the court that his campaign had tried to follow Minnesota campaign rules and noted that the pillows could be purchased using a promotional code for $9.95.
Under Minnesota law, anyone who “pays, gives, promises or lends any money, food, liquor, clothing, entertainment or other thing of monetary value” to influence a voter to avoid voting or to vote a certain way in an election can be charged with a felony. The law includes an exception for food or refreshments worth up to $5 if they are consumed at the site of a public or private gathering.
At the hearing, Lindell provided affidavits, an invoice documenting the pillow purchase and photographs from the campaign event.
Judge Nicholas Lienesch found probable cause to believe Lindell violated Minnesota campaign law. The matter will now proceed to a three-judge panel of administrative law judges for an evidentiary hearing, though a date has not yet been set.
Lindell is considered one of the leading Republican candidates in the Minnesota governor’s race and has highlighted a recent endorsement from President Trump. A prominent Trump ally, Lindell has repeatedly promoted the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Still, Lindell is seen as an outsider by the Minnesota GOP, which has recently questioned his residency status. His opponents in Tuesday’s primary include businessman Kendall Qualls and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
