U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota said Governor Tim Walz should face criminal prosecution if evidence shows that he or his administration knowingly concealed the scale of welfare fraud in the state. Emmer’s remarks come amid expanding investigations into alleged large-scale abuse of Minnesota’s social services programs, including child nutrition, childcare assistance, housing stabilization, and autism-related services.
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Speaking with Newsmax, Emmer said criminal charges would be warranted if whistleblower allegations are substantiated and documented. He stated that Governor Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and other officials within the administration should be prosecuted if they were aware of the misconduct and failed to act. Emmer framed the issue as one of accountability, arguing that senior officials cannot escape responsibility if they ignored or suppressed evidence of wrongdoing.
Emmer highlighted the estimated scope of the alleged fraud, citing figures suggesting losses of up to $9 billion in combined federal and state taxpayer funds. He described the situation as criminal in nature and claimed that some of the misappropriated money may have been sent overseas, including allegations that funds were routed back to Somalia and potentially linked to the terrorist group al-Shabaab. These claims, he said, raise national security as well as financial concerns.
The congressman also praised independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose viral video documented visits to childcare centers that appeared inactive while still receiving substantial public funding. Emmer said Shirley uncovered more apparent irregularities in a single day than the state administration had identified over several years, arguing that the difference was due to Shirley actively looking for evidence rather than overlooking warning signs.
Much of the scrutiny traces back to the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which a nonprofit organization was accused of stealing roughly $250 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent meal claims. As of late 2025, federal authorities had charged 78 individuals in that case, with more than 50 pleading guilty and several convicted at trial, including the organization’s founder. Investigations have since expanded to 14 state-administered programs, including Medicaid-funded services, with prosecutors estimating that as much as half of the roughly $18 billion spent since 2018 may have been fraudulent.[/read]