POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Investigating Claims Regarding Minnesota State Grants and Harm Reduction Supplies
The Claim Viral reports circulating during the 2026 U.S. Senate campaign cycle have alleged that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan “steered millions” in...
The Claim
Viral reports circulating during the 2026 U.S. Senate campaign cycle have alleged that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan “steered millions” in taxpayer funds to a nonprofit organization specifically to provide “booty bumping” (rectal drug administration) kits to drug users. These claims, which gained significant traction on social media and conservative news outlets, suggest that state-level financial support was directly utilized to facilitate this specific method of drug consumption.
The narrative gained momentum following reports that Southside Harm Reduction Services, a Minneapolis-based charity, received approximately $8 million to $9.1 million in state grants. Critics have framed this funding as a deliberate allocation of taxpayer dollars toward the distribution of paraphernalia intended for boofing, sparking public outrage and political debate regarding the administration’s harm reduction policies.
The Details & Investigation
Our investigation confirms that Southside Harm Reduction Services is indeed a recipient of Minnesota state grants and that the organization provides “booty bumping” kits as part of its broader harm reduction outreach. However, the assertion that the state “steered millions” specifically for these kits is a form of disinformation that relies on the conflation of total organizational funding with the cost of a single, minor line item. The $9.1 million figure cited in viral reports represents the total potential grant funding promised to the organization for all operational purposes through 2030, not the cost of the kits themselves.
State grants to Southside are structured as reimbursement-based contracts, meaning the organization only receives funds for expenses actually incurred. Budgetary documentation reveals that these grants cover a wide array of essential services, including syringe exchanges, naloxone distribution, HIV/STI testing, and housing referrals. When examining the specific allocation for supplies, it is evident that “boofing” kits represent only a fractional component of the organization’s total supply budget, which itself is a small portion of the grant funding. In many instances, the organization has not even utilized the full amount of its allocated supply budget.
The claim constitutes a mix of misinformation and disinformation. While it is factually true that the state provides funding to the organization, the framing of the narrative—implying that millions of dollars were specifically earmarked for “boofing” kits—is a deliberate, deceptive manipulation of financial data. By stripping the context of the organization’s comprehensive public health mission, the reports mislead the public into believing that state funds are being funneled into a singular, controversial activity rather than a multifaceted harm reduction program designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.
Harm reduction, as defined by the National Harm Reduction Coalition, is a public health strategy aimed at minimizing the negative consequences of drug use. The inclusion of syringes in these kits is consistent with established medical practices for syringe service programs (SSPs), which are recognized by federal health agencies as effective tools for reducing the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. The focus on “boofing” kits in political discourse ignores the broader, verified medical context of the services provided by the nonprofit.
The Verdict
The claim that Minnesota officials “steered millions” to pay for “boofing” kits is MISLEADING. While the state has provided millions in total grants to Southside Harm Reduction Services for its comprehensive public health operations, there is no evidence that these funds were specifically or primarily used to purchase rectal administration kits. The kits represent a negligible fraction of the organization’s total expenditures, and the viral narrative intentionally misrepresents the nature of state-funded harm reduction grants to create a false impression of government spending priorities.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
