Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and Republican gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota, faces a campaign finance complaint after distributing branded pillows to spectators at a Fourth of July parade in Delano on July 4, 2026. The complaint, filed on July 22 by Dan Fiskum, a DFL Democrat running for state Senate, alleges that Lindell violated Minnesota’s Fair Campaign Practices Act by giving away items of monetary value to induce voting.
According to the complaint and a court order issued July 27, Lindell and another individual threw MyPillow products marked “Mike Lindell for Governor” to parade spectators from a float decorated with campaign signs. The complaint values the pillows at approximately $34.95 each, exceeding the state’s $5 threshold for allowable campaign giveaways.
Minnesota Statute 211B.13 prohibits a person from giving anything of monetary value to a voter in order to induce them to vote in a particular way or refrain from voting in an election. The law does allow refreshments of food or nonalcoholic beverages valued up to $5 consumed at a private gathering or public meeting. A violation of the statute is a felony under Minnesota law.
Administrative Law Judge Nicholas Lienesch found on July 27 that the complaint allegations, if accepted as true, establish a prima facie violation of state law. A prima facie determination does not constitute a finding that a violation occurred; it means only that the complaint contains sufficient allegations to proceed to a hearing. Lindell has the right to submit evidence, affidavits, and argument at the probable cause hearing.
Lindell disputes the pillow valuation, telling WCCO that the items were worth $4.90, below the $5 carve-out for allowable giveaways. He said his campaign team checked the rules and “dotted their Is and crossed their Ts.” Lindell also suggested the complaint confused his simple “roll and go” pillows with his premium covered and decorative pillows, which sell for more than $34.
The probable cause hearing was held on August 3, 2026. Lindell told local news he expected a ruling later that week. The timing is significant: the Minnesota GOP primary is scheduled for August 11, 2026, and Lindell is the leading Republican candidate for governor, according to polling. He earned an endorsement from President Trump last month. Other GOP contenders include Kendall Qualls, who holds the state party’s endorsement, and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
A witness at the parade, political writer Shawn Towle, testified against Lindell, saying he approached the candidate and asked if he knew about the “Twinkie law”—a colloquial reference to Minnesota’s campaign giveaway restrictions. According to Towle’s account, Lindell responded that his team had “all the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed” and that lawyers had reviewed the matter.
Sources
- CBS Minnesota — Lindell’s response to the complaint, the pillow value dispute, and the statute’s requirements
- Valley News Live — The complaint filing date, the judge’s prima facie determination, and the August 3 hearing date
- Minnesota Court of Administrative Hearings — The official order detailing the complaint allegations, the statute text, and the legal standard for prima facie violations
- Minnesota Revisor of Statutes — Full text of Minnesota Statute 211B.13 and the $5 exemption for refreshments
