BLOOMINGTON, MN – According to reports, on August 31st, Minnesota Freedom Fund Board President Valentina McKenzie, was arrested for fentanyl possession.
Deputy Chief Kimberly Clauson with the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) confirmed that McKenzie was arrested at 78th Street East and 12th Avenue at 10:35 p.m. The deputy added, “She was booked and released from our jail pending out of custody charges.”
According to Clauson, the very next day, on September 1st, police submitted a request for charges to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance – fentanyl, and misdemeanor charges of possessing an open package of marijuana in a motor vehicle.
As of Wednesday, September 13th, no charges have yet been filed. Minnesota Freedom Fund communications director, Noble Frank, issued a statement, saying, “The Minnesota Freedom Fund can confirm that MFF board chair Valentina McKenzie was arrested on Thursday, August 31st, in Bloomington. No charges have been filed. Out of respect for the legal process, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The nonprofit bail fund was founded back in 2016, but took off in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd, pledging to “bail out protesters arrested” – including violent criminals.
The fund raised tens of millions of dollars when it was promoted throughout social media by numerous celebrities, including the vice president herself, Kamala Harris. Back in 2020, Harris tweeted, “If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota.”
Since then, the group used its celebrity-infused $40 million cash to bail out several violent and potentially dangerous people. While out a bail, many of those individuals committed new crimes, including murder, sex offenses and serious assaults.
According to reports, the fund was later blamed for the release of Jaleel Stallings, who was charged with attempted murder after shooting at police during a Black Lives Matter violent protest.
His bail was set at $75,000 and it was paid by the MN Freedom Fund. In another case, a man who was accused of sexually assaulting his 16-year-old niece, was bailed out of jail by none other than the MN Freedom Fund.
The Daily Caller reported that a woman who was accused of stabbing her aunt with a knife was also bailed out by the organization. The fund also helped bail out six men accused of domestic violence between June and August of 2021.
Harris, who publicly announced her “support” for the fund, has never once mentioned the damage that this fund has done to the community. After several of these individuals were released, some that are considered violent offenders, she still never said anything.
In February, the organization announced the formation of MFF Action, a sister organization that will lobby state lawmakers to end case bail in the state of Minnesota. In response to past criticism, MFF said:
“The cash bail system criminalizes poverty, forcing legally innocent people with less wealth to remain incarcerated while wealthier people accused of the same crime go free. We work to extend the same constitutional right to cash bail to everyone, regardless of their wealth.”
McKenzie stated that she too is “committed to abolishing prison one step at a time starting with ending the cash bail system.”
Deputy Chief Kimberly Clauson with the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) confirmed that McKenzie was arrested at 78th Street East and 12th Avenue at 10:35 p.m. The deputy added, “She was booked and released from our jail pending out of custody charges.”
According to Clauson, the very next day, on September 1st, police submitted a request for charges to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance – fentanyl, and misdemeanor charges of possessing an open package of marijuana in a motor vehicle.
As of Wednesday, September 13th, no charges have yet been filed. Minnesota Freedom Fund communications director, Noble Frank, issued a statement, saying, “The Minnesota Freedom Fund can confirm that MFF board chair Valentina McKenzie was arrested on Thursday, August 31st, in Bloomington. No charges have been filed. Out of respect for the legal process, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The nonprofit bail fund was founded back in 2016, but took off in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd, pledging to “bail out protesters arrested” – including violent criminals.
The fund raised tens of millions of dollars when it was promoted throughout social media by numerous celebrities, including the vice president herself, Kamala Harris. Back in 2020, Harris tweeted, “If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota.”
Since then, the group used its celebrity-infused $40 million cash to bail out several violent and potentially dangerous people. While out a bail, many of those individuals committed new crimes, including murder, sex offenses and serious assaults.
According to reports, the fund was later blamed for the release of Jaleel Stallings, who was charged with attempted murder after shooting at police during a Black Lives Matter violent protest.
His bail was set at $75,000 and it was paid by the MN Freedom Fund. In another case, a man who was accused of sexually assaulting his 16-year-old niece, was bailed out of jail by none other than the MN Freedom Fund.
The Daily Caller reported that a woman who was accused of stabbing her aunt with a knife was also bailed out by the organization. The fund also helped bail out six men accused of domestic violence between June and August of 2021.
Harris, who publicly announced her “support” for the fund, has never once mentioned the damage that this fund has done to the community. After several of these individuals were released, some that are considered violent offenders, she still never said anything.
In February, the organization announced the formation of MFF Action, a sister organization that will lobby state lawmakers to end case bail in the state of Minnesota. In response to past criticism, MFF said:
“The cash bail system criminalizes poverty, forcing legally innocent people with less wealth to remain incarcerated while wealthier people accused of the same crime go free. We work to extend the same constitutional right to cash bail to everyone, regardless of their wealth.”
McKenzie stated that she too is “committed to abolishing prison one step at a time starting with ending the cash bail system.”
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