Nick Shirley Says Legacy Media Will ‘Go Insane’ When He Posts Part Two of His Minnesota Fraud Reporting
Independent reporter Nick Shirley said that a forthcoming second chapter of his Minnesota investigation will further unsettle critics in major newsrooms, hinting that the reaction will be intense once it is released.
“Just wait until I post part 2, they are going to go insane,” Shirley wrote.
His comments came amid a wave of responses to a 42-minute report he published last week examining Minnesota daycare facilities that appeared closed or inactive while still receiving large sums of public money. The video exploded online, surpassing 134 million views on X, and quickly drew the attention of federal authorities. In response, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services moved to halt all childcare payments in the state while the matter is reviewed.
As the story gained traction, several legacy media organizations faced criticism for their handling of Shirley’s findings. CNN and others were accused by commentators of minimizing the work by framing it as little more than a “viral video.” Journalist Stella Escobedo wrote on X that the episode amounted to “an indictment” of mainstream outlets, a characterization that Shirley publicly embraced.
Some news organizations went further, directly challenging Shirley’s credibility. PBS described him as a “right-wing influencer” and said he accused Minnesota daycare centers of fraud “without proof.” The New York Times similarly referred to his work as a “single viral video,” while NPR aired an interview with University of Minnesota media law professor Jane Kirtley, who suggested Shirley was primarily promoting a narrative aligned with his own views.
Other critics highlighted how cable news handled the story. NewsBusters contributor Steve Malzberg noted that multiple CNN programs claimed Shirley had previously “shared anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim videos,” without providing specifics. CNN also drew ridicule following a segment on “Anderson Cooper 360” Tuesday night, in which correspondent Whitney Wild questioned Shirley extensively about his reporting process.
During that broadcast, Wild said the network was “looking into” Shirley’s allegations and then demonstrated her own outreach by calling daycare centers on speakerphone. She acknowledged that most did not respond.
“Only one daycare facility answered and said they are a legitimate business,” Wild told viewers.
The segment was quickly criticized online, with many observers arguing that CNN appeared more focused on scrutinizing Shirley himself than examining the alleged misuse of public funds in Minneapolis.
Shirley has previously voiced frustration with that dynamic, writing on X, “Mainstream media is more mad at me than they are at the FACT that billions of YOUR dollars are being used for fraudulent business.”
State officials have also sought to counter the implications of Shirley’s reporting. Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown said earlier this week that inspections conducted in the past had not revealed fraud, while still acknowledging the attention generated by the video.
“We are aware of a video that’s being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota,” Brown said at a Monday news conference. “While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously.”
{Matzav.com}
