Shirley went viral last week for his 42-minute video investigating Minnesota daycare centers that appeared inactive despite receiving millions of dollars in government funding. His video prompted investigations by federal officials, leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all childcare payments<\/a> to Minnesota.<\/p>\n CNN correspondent Whitney Wild interviewed Shirley in a segment featured on “Anderson Cooper 360” Tuesday night, during which Wild questioned Shirley’s methods of investigating the centers.<\/p>\n NICK SHIRLEY RESPONDS TO CNN ‘HIT PIECE’ ON HIS MINNESOTA FRAUD INVESTIGATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n CNN correspondent Whitney Wild interviewed Nick Shirley in a segment featured on “Anderson Cooper 360” Tuesday night. (CNN\/screenshot)<\/p>\n After peppering Shirley with questions, the CNN reporter said the network is “looking into” his claims. Wild was then shown calling Minnesota daycare centers via speakerphone, acknowledging many of the centers Shirley visited did not pick up her calls.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Only one daycare facility answered and said they are a legitimate business,” Wild told viewers.\u00a0<\/p>\n The segment was quickly panned on social media, where many suggested CNN was spending more time “investigating Nick Shirley than the fraud in Minneapolis.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News host Laura Ingraham wrote, “No one on earth is surprised that CNN appears to side with Somali fraudsters.”<\/p>\n CNN’S ABBY PHILLIP CALLS NOTION THAT ‘NO ONE IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE’ FOR MINNESOTA FRAUD ‘COMPLETELY FALSE’<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The popular account Libs of TikTok wrote, “CNN disputes that there\u2019s fraud in Minnesota Somali daycares because they called a bunch of daycares, one answered so they asked if they\u2019re committing fraud, and the daycare responded that they\u2019re not. I\u2019m not kidding.”<\/p>\n New York Post columnist Miranda Devine added, “What an embarrassment, @CNN. She interviews @nickshirleyy in person but not the day care center. And then she takes the word of the one day care center she contacts by phone \u2014 but does not visit \u2014 that they are legit? Seriously?”<\/p>\n While Shirley himself called the CNN report a “hit piece,” many were in disbelief that a news network would try to discredit his reporting.\u00a0<\/p>\n “So CNN’s angle here is to try and discredit @nickshirleyy while patting authorities for pursuing fraud on the back. But hilariously, two minutes in, the network buries the lede. \u2018We reached out to several of the daycares featured in the now-viral video. Only one daycare facility answered and said they are a legitimate business.\u2019 Just take the one person’s word for it,” journalist Benjamin Weingarten responded.\u00a0<\/p>\n ICE PROBES SUSPECTED MINNESOTA FRAUD SITES AS OFFICIALS FOLLOW POTENTIAL $9B MONEY TRAIL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Independent journalist Nick Shirley. (Fox News)<\/p>\n CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the online backlash.\u00a0<\/p>\n Many others took to social media<\/a> with thoughts:\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cnn-shirley.jpg\")
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