Steve Grove in March 2020, when he was commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Photo by Ricardo Lopez/Minnesota Reformer.
Steve Grove, the top executive at the Star Tribune and former commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, offered advice and compliments to Gov. Tim Walz’s office after his departure from the governor’s cabinet, according to texts obtained by the Minnesota Reformer.
Two weeks before his official start date at the Star Tribune, Grove reached out to his friend and Walz’s chief of staff Chris Schmitter to discuss who should succeed Grove as the head of DEED.
“How’s the DEED commissioner search coming along? Anything I can do to help? Hope you’re well – lots of great work lately. Love those budget targets for economic development,” Grove wrote.
A couple days later, Schmitter said the hiring process was “in a lull” as they waited for Walz to interview candidates.
“Got it. Good to hear. Some strong candidates. Here if I can be helpful. Keep up the great work!” Grove replied.
Grove’s first day at the Star Tribune was April 17, 2023. Three days later, he texted Schmitter to compliment Walz’s State of the State address and wish the administration well in the last month of the legislative session: “Thought the Gov did a really nice job with the speech, both in content and delivery – he read from a script! Good luck down the home stretch.”
The two then discussed the DEED commissioner selection in a phone call on April 24, according to the messages.
The following week, Grove sent Schmitter his public apology for publishing an editorial cartoon he called “very troubling” and “in horrible taste,” and asked that the governor and lieutenant governor be informed that he did not approve of the image.
The Reformer obtained the texts, which span from April 3, 2023, through Oct. 25, through a public records request with the governor’s office. Some words, lines and pages are redacted. A second request for texts and emails between Grove and the governor’s office from November through April did not produce any additional communications.
The exchanges between the governor’s office and the publisher of the state’s largest newspaper raise ethical concerns, said Jane Kirtley, director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota.
“It’s not his role to be a kingmaker for DEED, which is basically what’s happening if he’s providing advice about who they should hire,” Kirtley said, adding that it would have been appropriate to offer his thoughts publicly in the form of an editorial.
“If you’re going to be involved in vetting, commenting on, advising government, then I think you have to be transparent about it, and then the public can make its own decision about whether that taints the reporting in the news organization,” Kirtley said.
A statement provided to the Reformer by a Star Tribune spokesperson stated that Grove provided feedback and advice to his former employer “like any departing executive would.”
“These personal texts were between two friends of nearly 20 years, and have no bearing on the business or editorial decisions of the Star Tribune. The Star Tribune’s continued independence is our top priority as we continue to produce quality journalism for Minnesota,” the statement continued.
A spokesperson for Walz said “it is standard practice for agency heads and executives in any industry to participate in succession planning and ensure a smooth transition. Steve led DEED for four years and his input was critical.”
When Walz announced on May 25 that he’d selected Matt Varilek as the new DEED commissioner, Grove sent congratulations to Schmitter.
Publishers and newspaper owners — like the Star Tribune’s Glen Taylor, a billionaire former Republican senator and a major player in state politics — are often not held to the same conflict-of-interest standards that guide their employees. Newsroom policies and professional ethics standards instruct journalists to “avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived” and to abstain from political involvement.
A position paper compiled by the Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Committee states that when newspaper owners and publishers are deeply involved in politics, “It’s at best a double standard, and a questionable practice.”
Star Tribune reporter Brooks Johnson asked Grove about the potential conflicts of interest in an article announcing Grove’s hiring.
“Grove said his mission will be to carry on the Star Tribune‘s commitment to accountability in government,” Johnson wrote.
The Star Tribune has published articles during Grove’s tenure that are critical of state government, including a series on the failures of Minnesota’s child protection system and a story about the botched process that led to Walz’s appointment of Erin DuPree to lead the state cannabis agency; she resigned one day after the Star Tribune reported her businesses were selling illegal products.
Grove wanted Walz to know he didn’t approve ‘troubling’ editorial cartoon
Grove faced a public outcry in his first week as publisher when the paper ran a cartoon by newly hired editorial cartoonist Mike Thompson in response to the Minneapolis City Council’s decision allowing Islamic calls to prayer to be broadcast at any time of day. The cartoon depicted a man telling a woman, “Broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer will make Minneapolis too noisy,” while hooded and masked men shot guns outside the window.
“What?” the woman replied, unable to hear the man over the gunshots.
A group of DFL Muslim lawmakers called the cartoon racist and Islamophobic, and Grove apologized publicly in a statement.
“It’s clear to me that the intent of the cartoon did not match its impact. While the cartoonist was trying to support the decision of the Minneapolis City Council, the piece drew many – particularly those in the Muslim community – to feel disrespected by its depictions,” Grove said in a statement posted to social media. “I’m sorry that the Star Tribune published it.”
Grove texted a link to the statement to Schmitter.
“Good statement; nice work,” Schmitter replied.
“Just as a heads up. If the Gov or (lieutenant governor) ask, would appreciate you letting them know, not as an excuse but as context, that I didn’t see or approve of that cartoon at all and thought it was very troubling and in horrible taste,” Grove wrote.
“I shared with them, thanks,” Schmitter responded.
In October, the Star Tribune eliminated Thompson’s position.
Kirtley said she found the exchange between Grove and Schmitter about the editorial cartoon “problematic.”
“I don’t think news organizations should be in a position of feeling like they have to apologize to government for the editorial choices that they make,” Kirtley said. “It sets a really unfortunate precedent, because it suggests that if I don’t have government approval, I’m not going to do it, or if I have government disapproval, I’m not going to do it.”
Before joining the Star Tribune, Grove led DEED for four years. He grew up in Northfield, and wrote for the Northfield News and Boston Globe before joining YouTube in 2007, where he created the company’s news and politics team. He later founded and led the Google News Lab, which connects news organizations with Google tools.
The Star Tribune hired Grove to reinvent the paper for the digital era. He announced a reorganization of the paper in August and launched a “Today Desk” earlier this year to more quickly respond to breaking and trending stories. In January, he announced the hiring of six new reporters and a Greater Minnesota columnist.
He was also the keynote speaker at the 2023 Page One awards hosted by the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists.
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