Staff Reports
The new undercover video published by Townhall this week is a bad look for U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn and the union leaders who have rallied behind him. In the clip, Ruark Hotopp, a National Vice President at AFGE District 8, appears to boast about handing over identifying information for a single ICE agent tied to the high‑profile Minneapolis incident that left Renée Good dead. That revelation raises real legal and political questions — and a fair amount of common sense alarm.
What the undercover video shows
In a recorded conversation from May, Hotopp is heard saying he “only have[s] the one” ICE agent who was doxxed and that he passed the agent’s info up the chain. The agent Hotopp names has been publicly linked in reporting to the January shooting in Minneapolis and identified as Jonathan Ross. Campaign staff deny involvement, with Dan McCollister, Osborn’s communications director, telling reporters he had nothing to do with releasing any personal information. If the tape is authentic, the message is clear: someone with ties to Osborn’s backers admits to sharing private data about a federal employee.
What this means for Dan Osborn’s Nebraska Senate campaign
Osborn is running as an independent and has worked hard to build a coalition that includes union support. That makes this story painful. Voters expect candidates to pick their allies with care. If a campaign ally brags about doxxing a federal agent, it creates two problems: safety for the agent and his family, and a political liability for the candidate who benefits from union backing. The campaign’s quick denial matters, but denials don’t erase video clips that people can watch for themselves.
Legal risk and danger to ICE agents
Doxxing federal employees is not just crude politics. It can be criminal if done with intent to threaten or to facilitate violence. Even if the legal line is still being tested, the practical danger is real. Federal agents and their families deserve safety. Bragging about passing their private details around is the kind of reckless behavior that puts lives at risk and should be investigated by responsible authorities and disciplined by the union if the claims hold up.
Next steps and why voters should care
Reporters and voters should press for answers. AFGE should say whether Hotopp’s remarks are accurate and whether any internal review or discipline will follow. The Osborn campaign should explain how closely it works with union leaders and whether it will distance itself from anyone who admits to doxxing. Nebraska voters can judge whether a candidate’s circle shows judgment or danger. Campaigns are judged by the company they keep — and this clip makes that company look careless at best and lawless at worst. That matters at the ballot box.
