Republicans Call For Governor’s Prosecution
Minnesota Republican Rep. Tom Emmer is calling for serious legal accountability if whistleblower allegations involving massive fraud inside the state government are confirmed.
Speaking Monday on Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt Tonight, Emmer said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and top officials in his administration could face prosecution if evidence shows they were warned about large-scale fraud and failed to intervene.
According to Emmer, the allegations suggest more than simple mismanagement. If proven, he said, they could represent criminal misconduct involving billions of taxpayer dollars.
“If Governor Walz knew — and if these whistleblowers are real and their claims are documented — then prosecution should absolutely happen,” Emmer said during the interview.
He added that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with other senior officials, could also be subject to legal scrutiny if they were aware of the fraud and allowed it to continue.
Emmer cited estimates indicating that as much as $9 billion in federal and state funds may have been lost through fraudulent schemes in Minnesota. Some of that money, he said, was allegedly sent overseas.
“We’re talking about U.S. taxpayer money and Minnesota taxpayer money,” Emmer said. “And some of it reportedly ended up overseas, including in Somalia, tied to the terrorist organization al-Shabaab. If that’s true, it’s not just irresponsible — it’s criminal.”
The Minnesota congressman praised independent journalist Nick Shirley for exposing alleged fraud involving Somali-run daycare centers. Emmer argued the reporting uncovered more wrongdoing in a short period than state officials had revealed in years.
“He found more in one day than the Walz administration has uncovered in seven years,” Emmer said. “The difference is simple — he was actually looking.”
Emmer accused the governor’s administration of ignoring warning signs while fraud continued unchecked, costing Minnesota taxpayers billions of dollars.
“For years, Governor Walz and his team have looked the other way while massive amounts of money were drained from the system,” he said.
The congressman also emphasized that concerns about daycare fraud did not begin under Walz. He noted that former Democratic Attorney General Lori Swanson launched investigations into similar allegations as far back as 2017 and 2018.
“She was investigating and prosecuting these cases years ago,” Emmer said.
Swanson later lost the Democratic endorsement for governor to Walz in 2018, while Ellison won the attorney general’s race. Emmer said the change in leadership marked a shift in how investigations were handled.
“When Ellison took office, he centralized control and made it clear that investigations would not proceed without his approval,” Emmer said. “And since then, there’s been virtually no meaningful action.”
As whistleblower claims continue to emerge, Emmer said Minnesota taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and answers — especially when billions of public dollars may be involved.
