‘It Falls Squarely on His Shoulders’: Minnesota Lawmakers and Officials Say Tim Walz Has Not Held His Admin Accountable for Pandemic Fraud Schemes
4th October 2024
Minnesota lawmakers and officials criticized Gov. Tim Walz for not holding his administration accountable for “massive” fraud schemes related to pandemic-era aid programs, saying the responsibility “falls squarely on his shoulders.”
“When he is not holding any commissioners responsible, then yes, Governor Walz is responsible for the fraud that has been ongoing in the state of Minnesota,” state House GOP leader Lisa Demuth told CNN. “It falls squarely on his shoulders.”
In 2022, Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor launched a series of investigations into allegations of fraud involving the state’s pandemic funding. One audit revealed that bonus checks intended for frontline employees were issued to unqualified recipients, while another highlighted the administration’s failure to oversee Feeding Our Future, a program designed to feed needy children. Prosecutors said this oversight led to a “massive” fraud scheme. The Walz administration repeatedly downplayed or ignored the allegations, the state’s nonpartisan auditor, Judy Randall, told CNN.