ICYMI: Whip Emmer blasts Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, Somali fraudsters in Oversight Committee hearing on Minnesota fraud
WASHINGTON – Today, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) joined the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in its first hearing on the rampant fraud in Minnesota. At the hearing, Whip Emmer questioned Minnesota State Representatives Marion Rarick, Walter Hudson, and Kristin Robbins about Tim Walz and Keith Ellison’s refusal to address fraud in the Somali community, as well as claims that Tim Walz knew about the fraud and retaliated against whistleblowers.
Click here to watch Whip Emmer’s line of questioning and read the full transcript below.
Whip Emmer: “Thank you Chairman Comer for holding this important hearing. As I said on Monday, good riddance to Governor Walz. But he cannot escape accountability for the estimated $9 billion in fraud. How did this happen? And where the hell has the Twin Cities media been? The Star Tribune is complicit. They have had this story for years, as you’ve just heard, and have refused to report it. In fact, they continue to try to cover up. Our Minnesota Republican colleagues have demanded answers and accountability for years, but have seen nothing from Walz, his administration, our Democrat colleagues, like Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar, Ilhan Omar, and Angie Craig, or the worthless Star Tribune. Thank God for President Donald J. Trump for bringing attention to this issue! Representative Rarick, I’ll begin with you. You have been working on this issue for years. You’ve spoken to the whistleblowers personally. Is that correct?”
MN State Rep. Marion Rarick: “That is correct.”
Whip Emmer: “You have an understanding that 1,000 whistleblowers running an account on X have come forward to expose fraud in Minnesota state agencies, and they have been entirely ignored by Tim Walz, and have even been retaliated against. Is that accurate?”
Rep. Rarick: “That is correct. Even this morning I got another message.”
Whip Emmer: “And in your experience, are their claims credible, or are they politically motivated against Walz?”
Rep. Rarick: “They are completely credible, not politically motivated.”
Whip Emmer: “And many of these are Walz administration employees, correct?”
Rep. Rarick: “They are actually Democrats as well.”
Whip Emmer: “Can you quickly give us one example of the retaliation these folks are facing?”
Rep. Rarick: “Yes, I can. In my opening statement, I mentioned that the most severe ones was that they would be fired with cause so they couldn't have unemployment insurance, that they would be blacklisted from all state agencies, and I would bet that it's also Hennepin County and Ramsey County, as you know, those are Democrat run, and much, much more.”
Whip Emmer: “Based on what you’ve learned over the last several years, do you have any doubt that Governor Tim Walz knew about this fraud as it was occurring?”
Rep. Rarick: “He absolutely knew that it was occurring.”
Whip Emmer: “Thank you. The Housing Stability Services Program was estimated to cost $2.6 million per year, but before it was shut down in October, it was on track to run about $122 million in 2025…Is that accurate?”
Rep. Rarick: “Is it correct, and Joe Thompson believes that 90% of it was fraud.”
Whip Emmer: “The Quality LEARING Center, as uncovered by Nick Shirley, received almost $10 million in funding. Is that accurate?”
Rep. Rarick: “I believe it is.”
Whip Emmer: “There are more than 80 autism centers in Minnesota under investigation. Is that accurate?”
Rep. Rarick: “I believe it is, yes.”
Whip Emmer: “It’s clear that someone is criminally complicit. You can't just let this amount of money get out of your administration over a period of seven years without knowing. There was a hearing in the state regarding the fraudulent Housing Stabilization Program. But before that hearing, Governor Walz fired the official who was slated to testify, so they could not testify and expose what was happening under Walz’s watch. Has Governor Walz or Attorney General Ellison fired anyone else to your knowledge?”
Rep. Rarick: “Not to my knowledge, and that was Eric Rumdall and his administration believes that he was not fired, but I say that he was fired because it was too convenient.”
Whip Emmer: “Right. Representative Hudson: Is it true that 90 percent of the individuals charged, regardless of what your colleague on the panel just said with his facts and figures, 90 percent of the individuals charged or indicted with the $250 million Feeding our Future COVID fraud are of Somali descent?”
MN State Rep. Walter Hudson: “I believe that to be correct.”
Whip Emmer: “Are you aware that in a 2021 video, Mr. Ellison promised that he would obstruct HIS OWN AGENCIES in their investigations of Somali fraud?”
Rep. Hudson: “I am very much aware of that.”
Whip Emmer: “It is no wonder that criminals in the Somali community felt they were free to steal taxpayer dollars. I will ask you the same question I asked Marion: Do you have any doubt that Tim Walz knew about this fraud as it was occurring?”
Rep. Hudson: “None whatsoever.”
Whip Emmer: “Walz and Ellison were protecting fraudsters instead of investigating them, and it is no coincidence that this is occurring largely in the Somali community. Walz made Minnesota a Sanctuary State. Walz gave free health care, free college, and free licenses to illegals, and Walz looked the other way when Somali immigrants were stealing. Representative Robbins: Do you have any doubt that Tim Walz knew about this fraud as it was occurring?”
MN State Rep. Kristin Robbins: “None whatsoever.”
Whip Emmer: “So, all three of you have no doubt in your minds that Tim Walz knew about the $9 billion of fraud during his tenure as governor and did nothing about it. It looks like my time is about to expire. I do want to say to all of you on behalf of Minnesota, thank you for being here. Justice will be served.”
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