Emmer demands Walz accountability over Minnesota billion-dollar fraud
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A Minnesota congressman slammed alleged retaliation against whistleblowers and demanded answers and accountability from Gov. Tim Walz regarding the billion-dollar fraud scandal that has reportedly burdened his state.
Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer on “America’s Newsroom” on Wednesday that Walz “did nothing” to take responsibility for suspected fraudsters. He suggested that if the retaliation allegations turn out to be true, there could be an “investigation into criminal charges”.
“This isn’t just negligent incompetence, Bill. Someone is complicit in this. … The alleged whistleblowers … claim they tipped off the governor and he not only ignored them but retaliated against them,” Emmer said.
ABC, NBC, CBS EVENING NEWS OBSERVE EXPANDING FRAUD CASES IN MINNESOTA WITH TIM WALZ’S CASH
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has faced criticism over a major fraud scandal in his state. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“If this is true, Bill, there should probably be an investigation into criminal charges. This governor, the attorney general… stinks.”
House of Representatives Majority Whip Emmer also claimed that the proceeds of fraud were sent to Somalia and said that the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab controls the financial infrastructure.
“They’re sending the money back to Somalia, Bill. People need to understand that Al-Shabaab controls the financial infrastructure in Somalia. The money is going back to Somalia, where the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab is responsible,” he said.
TIM WALZ WAS CALLED OUT BY THE WASHINGTON POST FOR REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL
U.S. House Majority Speaker Tom Emmer speaks to reporters at a press conference following the House GOP conference meeting on Capitol Hill on December 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The Treasury Department has launched an investigation into the allegations, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday on X.
“If you commit fraud in Minnesota, you go to jail. I don’t care what color you are, what religion you are,” Walz said in his speech during the episode.
“But sitting on the sidelines making accusations and, let’s be very clear, demonizing an entire population and lying to people about the safety and security of this state is below that,” he continued.
COMER TARGETS WALZ IN NEW HOUSE INVESTIGATION, CITING MINNESOTA FRAUD CLAIMS AT NEARLY $1 BILLION
Emmer insisted that “calling out criminal acts is not racist and is not unfair.”
He called Walz a liar and said “alleged outside whistleblowers” claimed retaliation for reporting fraud to the governor.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be in St. Petersburg on December 12, 2024. He sits for an interview in his office at the State Capitol in St. Paul. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
An
Emmer’s rebuke of Walz came after the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into Minnesota’s handling of the governor’s pandemic food aid program.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
While Emmer blamed Walz for the state’s fraud crisis, federal prosecutor Joe Thompson described the failures as broader breakdowns in state leadership.
Hemmer read a statement Thompson made in July: “This fraud crisis did not come out of nowhere. It is the result of widespread failure at nearly every level of leadership in Minnesota. … This is not just a few criminals abusing the system. This is a system that is begging to be exploited.”
