A contentious House Oversight Committee hearing on alleged fraud in Minnesota’s public programs intensified political scrutiny on Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, as Republican lawmakers pressed both officials over what they knew about the scandal and when they became aware of it.
The hearing focused largely on the massive “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme, which federal prosecutors say involved the misuse of pandemic-era funds intended to feed children. Investigators allege that individuals connected to the nonprofit network fraudulently claimed reimbursement for millions of meals that were never served, resulting in what authorities have described as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in the country.
Following the hearing, reporters attempted to question Walz and Ellison about their oversight of the programs.
Fox News Digital asked Walz why the fraud had not been detected earlier.
“Why wasn’t the fraud caught sooner, governor? Almost $10 billion — why wasn’t it caught sooner?” a reporter asked as Walz left the hearing.
Walz declined to respond and continued walking through the hallway accompanied by staff. During a second attempt to question him, the governor again declined to answer before leaving the area.
Attorney General Ellison also declined to respond to questions from reporters after his testimony.
“Mr. Attorney General, can you tell us why the fraud wasn’t caught sooner?” a reporter asked as Ellison exited the hearing room.
Ellison did not respond and continued up a staircase without commenting.
Republican lawmakers used the hearing to sharply criticize Minnesota’s leadership, arguing that the fraud should have been identified sooner. Several members questioned both officials about oversight of state programs and the timeline of when state leaders became aware of potential misconduct.
Representative Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) delivered one of the most direct criticisms during the hearing.
“You did not do your job,” Foxx told Walz. “You did not protect taxpayer dollars. You allowed massive fraud.”
Other tense exchanges followed.
Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) pressed Walz about state spending on autism-related services and the number of children in Minnesota, criticizing the governor when he was unable to provide specific figures during questioning.
“Today you can’t answer the numbers about 2024 as governor, and you still said you prepared for this hearing today,” Mace said. “It’s unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) challenged Ellison on whether he was personally leading criminal investigations into the fraud.
“I’m giving you an opportunity, sir,” Higgins said. “Are you leading the criminal investigative effort into this massive fraud…or not?”
When Higgins said he did not receive a clear answer, he went further and called for Ellison’s resignation.
The hearing also briefly touched on criticism directed at Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who has previously faced political attacks over alleged connections to individuals tied to the fraud case. Omar did not testify during the hearing and did not respond to questions from reporters afterward.
The confrontation continued until the close of the hearing, when Representative Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) suggested that Walz could face impeachment under Minnesota law for “malfeasance,” citing provisions in the state constitution.
Federal prosecutors have already secured numerous indictments connected to the Feeding Our Future scheme, and multiple individuals have been convicted or pleaded guilty. Authorities say the investigation into the fraud remains ongoing.
