Saroya has had a turbulent term on the council, representing the 1st Ward in southern Blaine since the beginning of last year. And now she faces a tough contest from retired Rochester fire Captain Chris Ford.

Earlier this month, the council censured Saroya for violating the city’s code of conduct regarding working with city staff. That came after two employees filed formal complaints, substantiated by an outside investigator.

One complaint stemmed from Saroya speaking during public comments at an April planning commission meeting about an apartment proposal. At the meeting, she echoed resident concerns, and also accused officials and staff of “rubber stamping” such items and ignoring neighbors. City rules advise council members not to attend commission meetings, or only do so as an observer, due to concerns about using their position to influence decisions.

At a later meeting, some on the council disagreed with the way she addressed staff. Saroya defended herself, arguing she has been repeatedly retaliated against for voicing concerns. She called on residents from the dais to vote out the council unless they want more “apartments, car washes and all this junk in our city.”

Saroya’s supporters appreciate that she has been a vocal critic of council actions and frequently raised questions about transparency, conflicts of interest and spending. But others argue her approach is harming relationships and could lead to turnover at City Hall.

Saroya, the council’s first Muslim member, views the censure as a “badge of honor.”

WASHINGTON — Groups in Russia created and helped spread viral disinformation targeting Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, a senior U.S. intelligence official said Tuesday.

The content, which includes baseless accusations about the Minnesota governor’s time as a teacher, contains several indications that it was manipulated, said the official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Analysts identified clues that linked the content to Russian disinformation operations, said the official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the office of the director.

Digital researchers had already linked the video to Russia, but Tuesday’s announcement is the first time federal authorities have confirmed the connection.

The disinformation targeting Walz is consistent with Russian disinformation seeking to undermine the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Walz, her running mate. Russia also has spread disinformation aimed at stoking discord and division ahead of voting, officials said, and may seek to encourage violent protests after Election Day.

Last month, analysts at Microsoft revealed that a viral video that baselessly claimed Harris left a woman paralyzed in a hit-and-run accident 13 years ago was Russian disinformation. More recently, a video surfaced featuring a man claiming to be a former student of Walz’s who accused the candidate of sexual misconduct years ago. Private researchers at firms that track disinformation, including NewsGuard, already have concluded the video was fake and that the man in the footage isn’t who he claimed to be.

Some researchers have also suggested the video may contain evidence that it was created using artificial intelligence, but federal officials stopped short of the same conclusion, saying only that the video contained multiple indications of manipulation.

China and Iran also have sought to influence the U.S. election using online disinformation. While Russia has targeted the Democratic campaign, Iran has gone after Republican Donald Trump with disinformation as well as hacking into the former president’s campaign. China, meanwhile, has focused its influence efforts on down-ballot races, and on general efforts to sow distrust and democratic dissatisfaction.