Keith Ellison facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Keith Ellison


30th Attorney General of Minnesota
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2019
Governor	Tim Walz
Preceded by	Lori Swanson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 5th district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Martin Olav Sabo
Succeeded by	Ilhan Omar
Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office February 25, 2017 – November 8, 2018
Chair	Tom Perez
Preceded by	Mike Honda (2005)
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 58B district
In office January 7, 2003 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Gregory Gray
Succeeded by	Augustine Dominguez

Personal details
Born	Keith Maurice Ellison (1963-08-04) August 4, 1963 (age 61) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Kim Ellison (m. 1987; div. 2012) ; Mónica Hurtado (m. 2018)
Children	4, including Jeremiah
Education	Wayne State University (BA) University of Minnesota (JD)

Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician. He currently serves as the 30th Attorney General of Minnesota. He is a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL).

Before becoming Attorney General, Ellison was a U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2019. He was also the Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 to 2018. From 2003 to 2007, he was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. In Congress, Keith Ellison was known as a leader who supported progressive ideas.

Ellison was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He moved to Minnesota for law school. In 2002, he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives and served two terms. When U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo decided to retire, Ellison ran for Congress in 2006. He won and was reelected five times. His district included Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota. In Congress, Ellison was a vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He was also the first Muslim elected to Congress. He was also the first African American representative from Minnesota.

In 2018, Ellison decided not to run for Congress again. Instead, he ran for Minnesota Attorney General. He won the election, becoming the first African American elected to a statewide office in Minnesota. He was also the first Muslim in the U.S. to win a statewide office. He was reelected in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Keith Ellison is the third of five sons. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His parents were Leonard Ellison, a psychiatrist, and Clida (Martinez) Ellison, a social worker. His family was involved in the Civil Rights Movement, which works for equal rights for all people. His grandfather was a member of the NAACP in Louisiana.

In 1981, Ellison graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. He played sports and was active in student government. At age 19, while attending Wayne State University in Detroit, Ellison converted from Catholicism to Islam. He said he was looking for a faith that could help with social change and justice.

After earning a degree in economics in 1986, Ellison moved to Minneapolis. He attended the University of Minnesota Law School and earned his law degree in 1990.

Early Career

After law school, Ellison worked at a law firm for three years. He focused on civil rights, employment, and criminal defense law. Later, he became the executive director of the Legal Rights Center in Minneapolis. This non-profit organization helps people who cannot afford a lawyer.

Ellison also worked in private practice, focusing on trial law. He has always been involved in community service. He hosted a public affairs radio show and volunteered as a track coach for young people. He believes sports help build community.

Serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives

In November 2002, Keith Ellison was elected to his first public office. He became a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for district 58B. During his time there, he worked on committees related to government, law, and local affairs.

He was reelected in 2004 with a large majority of the votes. When he was elected to Congress, his seat in the Minnesota House was taken by Augustine Dominguez.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Becoming a U.S. Representative

Ellison decided to run for Congress after Martin Olav Sabo, the previous representative, announced his retirement. Ellison won the support of his party, the DFL, in May 2006. He then won the primary election in September 2006.

In the November 2006 election, Ellison won the seat with 56% of the votes. He became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives on January 4, 2007.

In 2006, Ellison became the first Muslim to be elected to Congress. He was sworn in on a Quran by Nancy Pelosi.

Ellison gained national attention when he chose to use an English translation of the Qur'an for his swearing-in ceremony. This Qur'an once belonged to President Thomas Jefferson.

When he started in Congress, Ellison said he would focus on wages, housing, and helping the middle class. He also wanted to end the U.S. involvement in the Iraq War. In his first week, he voted to raise the minimum wage and for federal funding of stem cell research. He also supported allowing Medicare to negotiate pharmaceutical prices.

In 2014, Ellison introduced a bill called the Money Remittances Improvement Act of 2014 (H.R. 4386; 113th Congress). This bill aimed to make it easier for non-bank financial companies to send money internationally. Ellison said this would help communities like the Somali and Hmong communities in Minnesota.

Working for Credit Reform

In May 2007, Ellison introduced a bill to stop "universal default." This is a practice where credit card companies raise interest rates on customers who are late on payments to other creditors. He wanted to limit high interest rates and make it easier for people to file bankruptcy if they truly needed to. This idea later became law in 2009 as part of the "Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights."

Committees and Groups in Congress

While in Congress, Ellison served on important committees:

Committee on Financial Services
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Judiciary Committee

He was also a member of several groups, called caucuses:

Congressional Progressive Caucus (Vice-chair)
Congressional Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Caucus (Vice-chair)
Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Running for Democratic National Committee Chair

Ellison sought the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. The post ultimately went to Tom Perez, and Ellison assumed the newly created position of deputy chair.

In 2017, Keith Ellison ran to become the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The DNC is the main organization for the Democratic Party. He was seen as a strong candidate who represented the progressive side of the party.

Many important figures supported him, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Chuck Schumer. The AFL–CIO, a large group of labor unions, also endorsed him.

Ultimately, Tom Perez was elected as the DNC chair. However, Perez quickly asked Ellison to become the "deputy chair," a new position. Ellison accepted, and they worked together. Ellison resigned as deputy chair in November 2018 to focus on his new role as Attorney General of Minnesota.

Becoming Minnesota Attorney General

On June 5, 2018, Ellison announced he would not seek reelection to Congress. Instead, he would run for Attorney General of Minnesota. The Attorney General is the chief legal officer for the state. They represent the state in legal matters and work to protect its citizens.

On August 14, Ellison won the Democratic primary election. On November 6, 2018, he won the general election for Attorney General. This made him the first African American elected to a statewide office in Minnesota. He was also the first Muslim elected to a statewide office in the United States. He was reelected in 2022.

Political Views

Economy

Ellison supports the Reward Work Act of 2018. This act aims to change corporate law to give employees more say. It would allow employees in listed companies to elect one-third of the board of directors.

LGBT Rights

Ellison has always supported the rights of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) people. In Congress, he was a vice-chair of the Congressional Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Caucus.

Gun Rights

Ellison supports gun control measures. He believes in common-sense rules for guns, but not necessarily eliminating all gun ownership.

Iraq War

Ellison was a strong opponent of the Iraq War. He voted against funding for the war when it did not include plans for withdrawal. He believed the U.S. should end its military involvement and focus on political and diplomatic solutions.

Freedom of Speech

In 2019, a city ordinance in Bloomington tried to stop filming students at a public park. This led to a lawsuit. Ellison had asked the court to drop the case, but the court ruled to protect First Amendment rights.

Iran

Ellison has supported better relations between Iran and the United States. He believes it is important to have contact with the Iranian government to look after U.S. interests.

Human Rights

Ellison has spoken out against human rights issues around the world. He criticized the Chinese government's policy in Tibet. He also spoke against Sudan's leaders for their actions in Darfur. In 2009, he was arrested for civil disobedience while protesting at the Sudanese Embassy.

Basic Income

In 2017, Ellison stated his support for a guaranteed basic income. This is an idea where everyone would receive a regular payment from the government.

Presidential Endorsements

In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Ellison supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. After Hillary Clinton won the nomination, he endorsed her. In the 2020 election, he again endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. After Joe Biden won the Democratic nomination, Ellison endorsed him.

Advocacy for American Muslims

When Keith Ellison was elected to the United States House of Representatives, he became the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress. He is also the highest-ranking Muslim elected official in the United States. His election has inspired many American Muslims. He encourages them to participate in the political process. Ellison has become active in supporting Muslim American civic engagement and civil rights.

Working with the State Department

Two months after taking office, Ellison met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. They discussed how his story could help with public diplomacy in the Muslim world. The State Department used his story to show American values and religious freedom. Ellison stressed that religious tolerance has a long history in the U.S. Even while working with the State Department, he continued to criticize the Bush administration's Iraq policy. He wanted people around the world to know that many Americans seek cooperation, not military control.

Personal Life

Keith Ellison married Mónica Hurtado on December 1, 2018. He was previously married to Kim Ellison, a high school math teacher. They had four children together. Keith Ellison is a Muslim, and their children were raised in the Muslim faith. One of their sons, Jeremiah, was elected to the Minneapolis City Council. Keith and Kim Ellison divorced in 2012. Kim Ellison was elected to the Minneapolis School Board in 2012 and again in 2016.

Awards

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee gave Ellison its Trailblazer Award. He was also named an Utne Reader visionary in 2011.

Books

Ellison wrote a book called My Country 'Tis of Thee, published in 2014. He also wrote Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence. This book shares his personal account of the events around the murder of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin.

Images for kids

Ellison with Minnesota Disabled Veterans