How the self-appointed spokesman of Minnesota Somalis duped the media
Local media in Minnesota, as well as national news outlets including legacy brands like CNN and ABC, fell for the orations of a Somali immigrant who claimed to be the trusted figurehead for the state’s Somali diaspora.
TL;DR
- Omar Jamal, a Somali immigrant, was presented by the media as a trusted figurehead for Minnesota's Somali diaspora.
- Local and national news outlets, including CNN and ABC, reported on Jamal's claims.
- Jamal was anointed as the authoritative voice on political issues concerning the Somali community in Minnesota and America.