Congressional Hearings on Minnesota Welfare Fraud
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced on Wednesday that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are set to testify under oath next month as part of a congressional probe into a significant fraud scandal affecting the state’s welfare programs.
Walz and Ellison’s testimonies are scheduled for a hearing on March 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. EST, focusing on “Monitoring the Misuse and Abuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II.”
Governor Walz, who recently indicated he would not seek re-election, has become the central figure in a scandal that, according to prosecutors, could cost taxpayers up to $9 billion.
“Americans deserve answers regarding the rampant misuse of taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s welfare programs that unfolded under the oversight of Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison. Recent testimonies from Minnesota lawmakers have suggested that they did not take action to stop this widespread fraud and even retaliated against whistleblowers who raised alarms,” Comer stated in a press release.
“We are eager to question Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison under oath about this issue. Our aim is to find solutions that ensure transparency and accountability, prevent further waste and fraud, and impose strict penalties on those who misuse taxpayer funds.”
The investigation, initiated in December 2025, came after federal prosecutors revealed what lawmakers describe as extensive fraud and money laundering within Minnesota’s social services. The commission estimates that around $9 billion meant for feeding children, supporting kids with autism, housing low-income and disabled Americans, and delivering health care to vulnerable Medicaid recipients has been stolen.
Comer has requested related documents and communications from Walz and Ellison concerning the alleged fraud. He also asked the U.S. Treasury Department for all relevant suspicious activity reports and ordered transcripts of interviews with current and former Minnesota employees, which are expected to conclude in February.
Renewed attention to the investigation surfaced when the Minnesota Legislative Audit Office released a report in January, revealing that the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Behavioral Health Services had not complied with many requirements and lacked sufficient internal controls to prevent waste and fraud.
On January 7, the Oversight Committee convened the first of several hearings, where Minnesota lawmakers shared accounts of ignored warnings and systemic failures over the years.
Ellison’s involvement and the lack of oversight regarding the ongoing fraud scandal have also raised eyebrows, particularly following a 2021 audio recording in which he met with members of the Somali community, who are facing sentencing for defrauding taxpayers.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Walz and Ellison for comments.
