Democrat Christina Bohannan, who is challenging Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, is under fire after backing The Minnesota Freedom Fund, a group that bailed out a repeat felon called Shawn Michael Tillman.
Bohannan wrote a letter in June of 2020 encouraging the University of Iowa community to support the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
You can read the letter here.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund acknowledged it previously provided bail support to Tillman on a gross misdemeanor charge.
Now Tillman is charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shooting a person several times. The group put out a statement regarding the situation.
“Judges make decisions about whether, and under what conditions, a person may be eligible for pre-trial release. Once a judge assigns a bail amount, it is only ability to pay that determines whether a person remains incarcerated or goes home to await the resolution of their case. Minnesota Freedom Fund believes wealth should not decide the difference between pre-trial detention and pre-trial release.”
Local news detailed the events surrounding the current allegations against Tillman. You can read those here.
Previously, Bohannan said she was “glad to contribute” to Prairielands Freedom Fund in July 2019. One month prior to her donation, the group promoted an effort to “rally for the abolition of Immigration Customs and Enforcement” and “melt ICE.”
