Center of the American Experiment won the 2026 Bob Williams Award for Securing Durable Freedom from the State Policy Network (SPN). The award was announced this week at SPN’s annual meeting in Orland, Florida. SPN recognized American Experiment’s work exposing and documenting Minnesota’s fraud problem:
Through two years of relentless investigative reporting, American Experiment exposed more than $9 billion in fraud across Minnesota’s social-service programs, bringing national attention to a story that demanded accountability. Their reporting reached millions, helped prompt congressional hearings, and contributed to a major policy victory: the creation of Minnesota’s first government-wide Office of Inspector General to investigate fraud and pursue criminal prosecutions.
In his speech accepting the award, American Experiment President John Hinderaker singled out the work of Policy Fellow Bill Glahn for his relentless investigative journalism:
“It can be tough being a policy organization in a blue state because it isn’t easy to get good policy implemented. On the other hand, bad policy and incompetent government create a lot of opportunities for important public campaigns. Bill Glahn has been on the fraud case since January of 2022, but the story in Minnesota isn’t over. The fraud continues to take place, our investigations are ongoing, and fraud is the number one issue in the political campaigns that are raging right now. So, the ultimate impact of our work is yet to be known.”
State Policy Network’s mission is to catalyze thriving, durable freedom movements in every state, anchored with high-performing independent think tanks.
