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Walz Defends Continued Welfare Payments During Fraud Probe

Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., speaks during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on March 4. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Fred Lucas is chief news correspondent and manager of the Investigative Reporting Project for The Daily Signal. He is the author of “The Myth of Voter Suppression: The Left’s Assault on Clean Elections.” Send an email to Fred.

House Republicans on Wednesday grilled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison about the state’s $9 billion fraud scandal and allegations that whistleblowers faced retaliations.

The hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee comes a day after the panel released a report alleging that Walz and Ellison were aware of welfare fraud in the state, but failed to act to prevent it.

Walz defended the continued welfare payments despite suspicions of widespread fraud. 

“We are not going to stop payments to feeding children,” Walz said. 

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the committee’s chair, replied, “You didn’t stop payments because you didn’t want to rock the boat.”

Walz said, “That’s not correct.”

The governor added that a federal funding freeze due to the fraud scandal means, “400,000 children without health care.”

Comer replied, “That is your fault.” He then referenced allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers in state offices.

“That is not correct. Minnesota has strong whistleblower protections,” Walz said. 

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said to Ellison that “millions of Americans, have grave concerns over your alleged relationships with Somali fraudsters.”

Ellison either didn’t answer questions, or gave deliberate responses to Emmer. Emmer reclaimed his time when he determined answers weren’t fruitful.

In the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, a Minneapolis nonprofit exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the pandemic by falsely reporting food distribution sites. Nearly 80 people have been charged for the scheme.

Emmer brought up a video of Ellison’s meeting with the charity at the center of the scandal in December 2021, where in response to complaints about lack of funding from the state’s Education Department, Ellison said, “I’m here to help.” He also said he would “demand some explanations” from the department.

He noted that after the FBI opened an investigation into Feeding Our Future in September 2022, an Ellison press release said the office was deeply involved for two years in holding the charity accountable. 

“So, according to your office, sir, you have been deeply involved in the Feeding Our Future case since September of 2020,” Emmer said. “That actually sounds like you were saying that at the time of your infamous meeting, with the Somali fraudsters, you were already aware of the allegations of fraud.”

Ellison replied, “Rep. Emmer, as you know, I have addressed this issue many times.”

Ellison has previously said he thought he was only meeting with constituents, and that he took no actions to help the Feeding Our Future organization.  

This is a developing story.

‘Asleep at the Wheel or Complicit’: House Oversight Delving Into Minnesota Fraud Scandal

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