FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2026
Court Finds Probable Cause in 4 Allegations Against Bob Coughlen
Statement from Drew Christensen following the public release of the Court’s order
The Minnesota Court of Administrative Hearings has publicly released an order finding probable cause to believe that Bob Coughlen violated four provisions of Minnesota campaign finance law, including accepting contributions from an individual, Sabah Ahmed, over the legal limit.
In response, Drew Christensen issued the following statement:
“I was very saddened to hear of this finding by the Court. My hope when I first heard the allegations was that they would quickly be cleared up. When I heard that Councilman Coughlen chose not to attend the court hearing or send a representative on his behalf, I was truly disappointed. Campaign finance is a serious matter. These laws exist so voters can understand who is funding candidates and how campaign money is being spent before they cast their ballots.”
“My understanding of the process is that Bob will have another opportunity to have his day in court and I hope there is a reasonable explanation. Nevertheless, I believe someone seeking responsibility for public resources should be expected to follow financial-disclosure laws and provide voters with complete and timely information.”
The Court found probable cause to believe that Coughlen and his campaign:
Failed to file an initial campaign-finance report on time after exceeding the statutory reporting threshold;
Failed to file the required pre-primary report before the August 11 primary;
Filed a report that omitted required details concerning campaign expenditures; and
Accepted contributions from an individual, Sabah Ahmed, exceeding Minnesota’s legal limit.
The order states that Coughlen and his committee received notice by email and U.S. mail but did not appear at the probable-cause hearing or otherwise communicate with the Court.
The matter will now be considered by a three-judge panel. A final determination remains pending.