House Republicans have issued subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 presidential running mate, over his administration's handling of taxpayer funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The subpoenas sent by the House Education and Labor Committee focus on a $250 million fraud scheme by Feeding Our Future, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that the Justice Department previously accused of “misusing federally funded child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Feeding Our Future was accused of defrauding a federal program that feeds hungry children by creating false attendance lists with the names and ages of non-existent children and then falsifying invoices to purchase food to feed the children.
At least 70 people have been charged and five convicted in connection with the scheme.
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Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, received a subpoena from House Republicans. (Scott Eisen)
“As the chief executive and highest-ranking official of the state of Minnesota, you [Minnesota Department of Education] and its management [Federal Child Nutrition Programs]”
“Press statements by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executives were involved in or knew about MDE's FCNP management and responsibilities and actions regarding the massive fraud,” Fox wrote.
In addition to targeting Walz, Fox also sent subpoenas to Minnesota Education Secretary Willie Jett and Biden's Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
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The subpoena was sent by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Ill.), chairwoman of the House Education and Labor Committee. (Bill Clark)
In response to the subpoena, a spokesperson for Governor Walz told Fox News Digital, “This is an egregious abuse of federal COVID-19 relief programs. The state Department of Education has worked diligently to stop this fraud and we thank the FBI for working with the Department of Education to arrest and prosecute those involved.”
According to past local reports, the Walz administration has taken steps to investigate and hold accountable the massive fraud scheme. Sahan Journal MDE reportedly contacted the FBI in April 2021 about suspected fraud by the nonprofit organization.
The following month, MDE resumed funding to 26 nonprofits working with Feeding Our Future, but rejected the group's application for new food pantries, according to the report.
Waltz was again accused of misrepresentation in a scathing unearthed letter: “Delete any references.”
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House Republicans have stepped up scrutiny of both Walz's administration and personal past since he was nominated last month as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
The House Oversight Committee earlier opened an investigation into Walz's ties to China.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris-Waltz campaign for comment.
