The public record identifies David clearly
By January 2026, the Minnesota Star Tribune had already answered the basic question. The man in Shirley's video was David Hoch, a 65-year-old Fridley resident and former candidate for governor and attorney general in Minnesota.
That same profile identifies Hoch as the registered lobbyist and president of Minnesotans for Responsible Government.
He was part of the information pipeline, not a spontaneous witness
Shirley's own House testimony says a man named David supplied the addresses, enrollment figures, and CCAP funding totals before the Dec. 16 Minnesota trip.
GPB quoted Minnesota House GOP floor leader Harry Niska saying much of the information used by one of the men in the video came from House Republican staff.
The anti-Somali and anti-Muslim trail is documented
A House hearing attachment preserving later reporting describes accounts bearing Hoch's name as carrying a long online record of anti-Somali and anti-Muslim statements.
The attached reporting says those posts included sweeping claims that Somalis in Minnesota were engaged in fraud and other demonizing language about Muslims.
The video claims remain unsupported
Another congressional hearing attachment preserved a fact-check of the Shirley-Hoch video that said the footage showed nothing conclusive and that much of the narrative was misleading. The same attached reporting also described Hoch as a longtime figure focused on pairing fraud claims with Somali communities.
The fact-check attachment belongs beside Hoch's political role, staff-linked information pipeline, and posting history.
Sources & records
Reviewed by Standards Review. Updated April 14, 2026.
- Star Tribune profile: Who is David?
Used for the identification of David Hoch, his age, Fridley residence, former statewide candidacies, and the description of him as registered lobbyist and president of Minnesotans for Responsible Government.
- House Judiciary testimony from Nick Shirley
Used for Shirley's own statement that a man named David supplied locations, enrollment numbers, and CCAP funding totals before the Dec. 16 Minnesota trip.
- GPB: Minnesota Republicans defend their fraud focus
Used for Harry Niska's statement that much of the information in the video came from House Republican staff and that the caucus was willing to provide that information.
- Congress attachment preserving reporting on Hoch's posting history
Used for the attached reporting describing accounts bearing Hoch's name with a long anti-Somali and anti-Muslim posting history, including sweeping fraud claims and demonizing language.
- Congress attachment preserving fact-check of the Shirley-Hoch video
Used for the attached fact-check stating that the Shirley-Hoch video showed nothing conclusive, that much of it was misleading, and that Hoch had long focused on tying fraud claims to Somali communities.
- Stauber press release naming Hoch as SOTU guest
Used for the later political elevation of Hoch and Shirley as official congressional guests to President Trump's Feb. 24, 2026 State of the Union address.
