Comer on MN Fraud: ‘I Believe We’ll Witness Genuine Accountability Here’

Accountability for Alleged Fraud in Minnesota

On Monday’s episode of “Hannity” on FNC, U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), who heads the House Oversight Committee, promised “true accountability” regarding the alleged misuse of federal funds in Minnesota.

HANNITY: So, Chairman, where do we go from here?

Comer: I’m really excited about this, Sean. We’ve invested substantial effort into this report. I want to acknowledge the committee staff—the standout here is a whistleblower hailing from Minnesota. There were nine whistleblowers, all dedicated public servants who acted correctly.

Having spotted a fraudulent scheme, they took the necessary steps—they alerted their superiors as well as Attorney General Keith Ellison and Governor Tim Walz. Unfortunately, both the governor and attorney general often ignored the issues raised.

As the whistleblower persisted in raising concerns, Governor Walz began retaliating against them. So, we have two serious issues: negligence in managing taxpayer funds and retaliation against those brave enough to speak out.

We’ve sent a letter and report to Vice President Vance, who has been instrumental in the Minnesota Fraud Task Force, and he referred it to the Department of Justice today. This is where real accountability can actually happen. In fact, thirty individuals have already been arrested in Minnesota connected to this scam.

And, Sean, the key to preventing public officials—like Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison—from indulging in wrongdoing is to make them accountable. Our committee, with Vice President Vance’s assistance, has set the wheels in motion, and now the Justice Department is taking it from here.

Thanks to the whistleblowers and the numerous depositions and interviews we conducted, there’s evidence that shows Governor Walz did indeed overlook these issues and retaliated against those who raised them.

HANNITY: Your committee has estimated that Minnesota lost about $300 million in federal nutrition funds meant for needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. And there are potentially $9 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims linked to this.

$9 billion just for one state, Congressman? Really?

Comer: It’s a significant amount, and that’s equivalent to half of Kentucky’s entire general fund budget. This situation revolves around welfare programs in Minnesota.

People often wonder how such massive fraud can occur. The truth is, it shouldn’t have happened. All the necessary checks were in place, and while officials recognized the fraud, both the governor and attorney general chose to do nothing, likely for political motivations.

They feared upsetting Minnesota’s substantial Somali voting bloc, which plays a significant role in maintaining a Democratic governor and attorney general in the state.

So when a whistleblower or someone from Congress raises concerns about misconduct, the response may often be, “Oh, that’s just racism,” or Democrats might revert to their typical strategies and claim, “Oh, Republicans want to do away with Medicaid.”

The governor of Kentucky tweeted about this today—not the best timing to defend Minnesota.

In the end, the American public is fed up with seeing their hard-earned taxes sent to Washington, only for that money to end up in states that neglect their responsibilities, allowing fraud to fester.