629: Jennifer Carnahan

Jennifer Carnahan was the Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party. After her husband, Rep. Jim Hagedorn died of cancer, she ran for his office but placed third in the primary with 8% of the vote. Her close association with Anton Lazzaro probably did not help.

She had critics before the Lazzaro trafficking scandal broke. In fact, Lazzaro wrote a defense of Carnahan in 2018. She and Lazzaro hosted a podcast together and often attended events together, though there is no evidence she was part of his trafficking enterprise.

What angered party leaders is that she required staff, volunteers, and even at least one member of the Executive Committee to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements. NDAs are common in business, not in politics, except for Trump and Carnahan. Several people complained that she fostered an abusive and toxic work environment. She threatened to sue people who spoke negatively about her.

More seriously, she is alleged to have covered up several sexual harassment allegations. In an open letter, four former Executive Directors of the party wrote, “… most disturbing of all, we now know by the multitude of young women coming forward that Carnahan used her power to cover up allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. These credible allegations are sickening and the fact that these women were silenced by Carnahan and her HR department is beyond shameful.”

The Minnesota College Republicans also alleged that several women were harassed by a party employee, that Carnahan was informed, and that she did nothing.

In December, 2022, she sued the MN GOP, claiming they disparaged her. They countersued, claiming she damaged their reputation.

• Minnesota Reformer: MNGOP chair Jennifer Carnahan used non-disclosure agreements to stifle criticism, sources say
• Politico: House GOP winces as Hagedorn’s scandal-plagued widow eyes his empty seat
• MPR: Fierce legal fight opens between ex-GOP chair Carnahan, party
• Twin Cities Pioneer Press: Drama inside MN GOP threatens chairwoman’s job. Here’s what we know.
• Twin Cities Pioneer Press: 4 former MN GOP top staffers rip Chair Jennifer Carnahan
• Twin Cities Pioneer Press: Read the full statement by 4 former MN GOP executive directors and GOP response