Lawmakers will examine claims of widespread misuse of federal funds in Minnesota’s social services programs as part of an escalating congressional investigation.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will convene a hearing next week to examine allegations of large-scale government fraud in Minnesota, committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Wednesday.
According to Comer, the panel will hold a session titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I” at 10 a.m. on Jan. 7. The hearing will feature testimony from Minnesota state lawmakers who have raised concerns about what the chairman described as extensive fraud and systemic misuse within the state’s social services programs.
Comer said he has also invited Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to appear before the committee for a separate hearing scheduled for Feb. 10.
“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” Comer said in a public statement announcing the hearings. He added that Americans “demand and deserve accountability” for the alleged theft of federal funds.
Comer said the Department of Justice is actively investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of stealing billions of dollars through the programs and argued that Congress has a responsibility to expose oversight failures, strengthen safeguards, and ensure serious consequences for those involved.
Witnesses scheduled to testify at the Jan. 7 hearing include Minnesota state Reps. Kristin Robbins of Maple Grove, Walter Hudson of St. Paul, and Marion Rarick of Wright County. Committee staff said additional witnesses may be added as the investigation continues.
The Oversight Committee said its inquiry builds on findings by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, who has uncovered what federal officials describe as extensive fraud and money laundering activity tied to state-administered programs.
Comer has requested documents, communications, and internal records from Walz and Ellison related to the alleged fraud during their tenure and has also asked the U.S. Treasury Department to provide Suspicious Activity Reports connected to the case. Committee investigators plan to conduct transcribed interviews with Minnesota state officials as part of the probe.
The Trump administration has already taken action in response to the allegations, including a recent move to freeze certain federal child care payments to Minnesota. Health and Human Services officials said the decision was part of a broader effort to address fraud and weak oversight, citing concerns that taxpayer funds were being diverted away from children and families the programs were intended to serve.
Federal officials say enforcement activity has intensified across multiple agencies. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department has been investigating the allegations for months and that dozens of convictions have already been secured.
Comer said the upcoming hearings represent a critical test of government accountability and vowed the committee will continue pressing for transparency and consequences for any officials or systems that enabled the alleged abuse of federal funds.
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