Ellison Responds to Fraud Allegations in Minnesota
Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed frustration when questioned about the state’s approach to a corruption scandal. This was after Vice President J.D. Vance hinted at potentially escalating the issue to the Justice Department. Ellison, however, didn’t assert that the often cited $8 billion loss was only propagated by individuals “associated with the Trump administration.”
“That’s an exaggerated figure,” Ellison remarked. “Fraud, in any case, is unjustifiable.”
“Honestly, can we take a moment?” he added, visibly irritated.
Vance, who leads the Trump administration’s new task force targeting fraud, suggested that he might push the Justice Department to look into Ellison’s reported knowledge regarding a widespread fraud operation in Minnesota.
When pressed about the common $8 billion estimate of fraud in Minnesota, Ellison grew noticeably annoyed with a reporter’s inquiry and ended the conversation by implying that such figures were used mainly by a specific political group.
“Requesting a newspaper to conduct a forensic accounting will lead you to those numbers, which are predominantly linked to individuals with distinct political affiliations aligned with the Trump administration,” Ellison told Fox News Digital.
“That’s it, I refuse to continue this conversation. Goodbye,” he stated, preparing to walk away.
The reporter, insisting on hearing more about the numbers and referencing various reports, faced Ellison’s continued doubts about the objectivity of his reporting.
“That’s inaccurate. If you truly report, you should understand that,” he remarked, addressing the Fox News digital reporter.
The $8 billion figure has been frequently referenced by the House Oversight Committee and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who argue that significant fraud may have occurred in Minnesota’s public assistance programs.
Thompson suggested there are indications that nearly half of the $18 billion disbursed through 14 Medicaid programs since 2018 could be linked to a large-scale fraud operation.
The issue gained significant notoriety due to a congressional inquiry and notable fraud cases tied to federally funded programs involving nutrition and education, as well as Medicaid. Prosecutors believe several nonprofit organizations have misused millions of taxpayer dollars through deceitful schemes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
High-profile cases, such as the Feeding Our Future scheme, have drawn attention, particularly within Minnesota’s Somali community.
Additionally, investigators from the House Oversight Committee have pointed out, with insights from education and human services officials, that Ellison may have been aware of fraud warnings well before the scandal became public.
