House Oversight Probes Walz Over Somali Fraud

The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation over Gov. Tim Walz‘s (D-MN) alleged awareness of, or possible role in, widespread fraud in the Somali community in Minnesota.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced the investigation on Wednesday, citing allegations of widespread fraud within Minnesota’s social services programs, Minnesota’s efforts to cover it up, and retaliation against whistleblowers. Comer sent letters to Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison demanding a response by Dec. 17.

“The Committee has serious concerns about how you as the Governor, and the Democrat-controlled administration, allowed millions of dollars to be stolen,” Comer said in his letter to Walz. “The Committee also has concerns that you and your administration were fully aware of this fraud and chose not to act for fear of political retaliation. The Committee therefore requests documents and communications showing what your administration knew about this fraud and whether you took action to limit or halt the investigation into this widespread fraud.”

Minnesota earned national attention after widespread fraud that took advantage of the state’s social service programs, mostly by the large Somali community. Federal prosecutors charged dozens of people for their alleged involvement in the fraud, including the theft of over $240 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from the Minnesota-based Feeding Our Future nonprofit group, an organization designed to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The meals were never provided, with the funds instead allegedly spent on luxury cars, houses, foreign companies, and real estate across the country.

Comer cited reports showing that the Minnesota state government, with Walz at the head, “saw red flags indicating that fraud was occurring in the Feeding our Future program but chose at best to ignore the signs or at worst, allowed fraud to occur.”

Some reports alleged that much of the money stolen from social service programs was sent abroad to fund the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamist terrorist group al Shabaab.

“Based on these reports, the Committee is concerned that you were negligent in handling taxpayer dollars that were ultimately stolen and had systems in place that allowed the funds to be funneled to terrorist networks responsible for killing Americans. Whistleblowers have indicated that DHS employees are destroying evidence. The Committee expects that you will take all steps to preserve evidence during this investigation,” Comer wrote.

Comer’s letter to Ellison was more accusatory, suspecting him of having a direct role in the fraud.

“You were caught on tape pledging to help Feeding Our Future fraudsters in a conversation that also included discussion of campaign donations from Somali community leaders to secure your donor base and, only days later you and your son accepted contributions to your campaigns from the individuals in this meeting,” he wrote.

“Based on these reports, the Committee is concerned that you were negligent in handling taxpayer dollars that were ultimately stolen and had systems in place that allowed the funds to be funneled to terrorist networks responsible for killing Americans. Whistleblowers have indicated that DHS employees are destroying evidence,” Comer told Ellison.

So far, 78 defendants have been charged with fraud around the Feeding Our Future program and other fraudulent schemes in Minnesota’s social services system. Over 55 have been convicted so far.