Megyn Kelly and Walter Kirn Discuss Deepening Political Corruption in Minnesota on The Megyn Kelly Show

Top Points

• Kelly and Kirn discussed Minnesota’s growing political corruption: Kirn said the corruption resembles a coordinated financial network that operates with the characteristics of a criminal gang.

• Kirn argued that Minnesota’s corruption survives because it sits in a gray zone: He described it as large enough to be noticeable but small enough for people to ignore, allowing it to persist without major public backlash.

• Kirn warned that this quiet, systemic corruption has broader implications: He said Minnesota demonstrates how political networks can evolve into organized, self-protecting systems when accountability weakens.

Full Report:

On a recent episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, host Megyn Kelly spoke with author and commentator Walter Kirn about what he described as a worsening culture of political corruption in Minnesota. Kirn, who lives in the state, told Kelly that the level of dysfunction and financial misconduct has grown so extensive that it resembles the operations of a criminal gang, yet remains just subtle enough for many people to ignore.

Kirn Says Minnesota Corruption Operates Like a Criminal Network

During the conversation, Kirn explained that the corruption he sees in Minnesota is not confined to isolated scandals or individual bad actors. Instead, he described a broader, systemic pattern of financial abuse and political favoritism that functions with the coordination and self-protection of a criminal organization.

According to Kirn, this network is “big enough to get attention but small enough for people to ignore,” meaning that the wrongdoing is visible to anyone paying attention but not so overwhelming that it forces accountability or widespread public outrage. He told Kelly that this middle ground allows the system to operate with minimal scrutiny while maintaining enough influence to shape local politics and public resources.

Kelly Presses on Why the Problem Persists

Kelly asked Kirn why such an entrenched structure has been able to persist for so long without major consequences. Kirn responded that the political climate in Minnesota has created conditions where loyalty, ideological conformity and insider relationships matter more than accountability. He argued that many officials and institutions have incentives to overlook corruption as long as they benefit from the system or avoid becoming targets of it.

Kirn added that the public’s trust in long-standing political leadership has also played a role. Because many Minnesotans assume their institutions are functioning properly, he said, they do not always recognize how deeply financial misconduct has taken root.

A Climate of Quiet Compliance

Kirn emphasized that part of the problem lies in how manageable the corruption appears. He explained that unlike massive national scandals, Minnesota’s political dysfunction often unfolds in increments that seem small or technical. Those details can obscure how the pieces fit together and how much money and influence are actually involved.

He suggested that this structure encourages a culture of “quiet compliance,” where officials, activists and even some journalists hesitate to challenge the system because doing so might disrupt relationships, jeopardize funding or provoke political retaliation.

Implications for Minnesota’s Future

Kelly and Kirn concluded the segment by discussing what Minnesota’s experience might signal for broader American politics. Kirn argued that Minnesota could serve as a warning about how corruption grows, not only through dramatic scandals, but through networks of financial and political ties that expand gradually until they resemble organized crime in their operation and persistence.

Kelly noted that understanding the dynamics in Minnesota may help highlight similar patterns in other states, especially where long-term political dominance has allowed internal systems to develop with minimal oversight.

References

• The Megyn Kelly Show. Interview with Walter Kirn discussing political corruption in Minnesota. Megyn Kelly, SiriusXM.

• Kirn, Walter. Commentary on Minnesota’s political and financial corruption. Interview by Megyn Kelly, The Megyn Kelly Show, SiriusXM.