From Fox News: The ongoing investigations into whether widespread fraud has roiled Minnesota’s social welfare programs could soon spread to other blue states, if House Republicans get their way.
Several GOP lawmakers told Fox News Digital they wanted to see probes expanded into New York, California, Illinois, and Wisconsin, among other areas, as both Congress and the federal government bear down on Gov. Tim Walz’s administration.
“Many in California and representatives from New York are telling us that what is happening in Minnesota — the fraud, the daycares, the fake use of daycares and the embezzlement of American taxpayer money, billions of dollars — is just the tip of the iceberg,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., said all states should be investigated, particularly for potential COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud within the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“The bottom line is we obviously have made it very, very easy to defraud the federal government. We know that that went on during COVID with the PPP dollars, with a lot of the money that was flowing out. You know, shame on us for not policing that,” Harris said. “Honestly, we should look at all states.”
Federal prosecutors say Minnesota may have lost billions of dollars to fraud across multiple programs, including childcare, food assistance, and autism services.
Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have pushed back, accusing federal Republicans of inflating the figures for political gain, while acknowledging the state is investigating how significant funds were nonetheless diverted through fraud. The mounting fallout from the scandal has intensified political pressure, prompting Walz to abandon his bid for a third term earlier this month.
In addition to the federal investigation, Congress has launched its own probe led by the House Oversight Committee. Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital earlier this month that the investigation could serve as a template for examining similar issues in other states. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said he wants the probe expanded to Democratic strongholds such as California, New York, and Illinois.
“If it’s happening in Minnesota, I am sure it’s happened in California,” Stutzman said. “I think that this is something that should be investigated not only in California, but also in Illinois, and also New York and other states. If anything, the burden of proof is on our governors across the country to show that they … have it under control.”
“I think that we need to go after New York, California,” echoed Rep.Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla. “I don’t think you’ll find this in red states, because we actually care about the future of the country. But I think in places with unified Democrat control, I think you’re going to see widespread fraud everywhere.”
And Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said his own home state of Wisconsin should be investigated as well: “Every state should be examined, including the state of Wisconsin, because I believe that the state of Wisconsin under the Evers administration has been cooking the books for our SNAP program. When you get to California, Illinois, and New York, that’s gonna make Minnesota look like you just had lunch at Taco Bell.”
If the investigation expands to blue states, fraud allegations could become a new political weapon for House Republicans as they face an uphill fight to retain their majority this November. Competitive seats in states such as Wisconsin, New York, and California could prove pivotal to which party controls the House of Representatives.
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