GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful: Wisconsin 'Refusing To Learn' From Minnesota SNAP Fraud Allegations

Republican Candidate Urges Wisconsin To Allow Federal SNAP Audits

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), a 2026 gubernatorial candidate, warned Thursday that Wisconsin risks repeating mistakes he says occurred in neighboring Minnesota, where investigators are probing an alleged fraud scheme involving taxpayer-funded meal benefits.

Tiffany pointed to media reports and ongoing investigations in Minnesota that allege members of the Twin Cities' Somali community diverted government-funded benefits overseas, including payments reportedly tied to the extremist group Al-Shabaab. He characterized those developments as evidence that federal access to state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) records is necessary to detect and prevent large-scale abuse.

In a letter Tiffany's office shared with Fox News Digital, he urged retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to reconsider his public refusal to cooperate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on SNAP audits.

"Like many Wisconsin residents, I was disappointed by your recent public statements ruling out cooperation with the federal government to detect fraud in the food stamp program," Tiffany wrote. "We should all be able to agree that fraud and abuse in vital safety-net programs is unacceptable, which is why I hope you will reconsider your position."

Tiffany and other Republican lawmakers argue that withholding federal access undermines efforts to protect the program's integrity and could jeopardize benefits for eligible Wisconsinites. On social media, Tiffany asked, "What are Democrats hiding? We do not want to end up like Minnesota with billions in stolen tax dollars."

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has urged broader federal access to state SNAP files, saying the program needs stronger oversight; she noted that 29 states have agreed to give federal investigators access. Gov. Evers has pushed back, saying annual state reviews are sufficient and calling the federal request "inappropriate" because it could threaten families who depend on SNAP for nutritious meals.

"That system is analyzed every single year, and we feel confident in it," Evers told a Milwaukee ABC affiliate reporter. "The idea they're asking for this information; they're looking for ways to get out of doing it, frankly. And that is inappropriate."

The dispute intensified during a recent partial government shutdown, when the Trump administration asked states to undo certain SNAP-related payments after federal disbursements were paused. Evers and several other governors — including leaders from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Washington, California, New York and New Jersey — filed a letter with the First Circuit Court of Appeals asking the court to block the administration's effort to reverse payments.

Other Wisconsin Republicans defended the USDA push. Rep. Bryan Steil said recipients were harmed by the shutdown standoff and criticized Democrats for refusing to cooperate. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who co-sponsored legislation aimed at safeguarding SNAP funding during the shutdown, has also spoken about growing up on food stamps and supports measures he says protect vulnerable Americans while addressing fraud.

Tiffany and his GOP allies frame federal access as a necessary tool to identify and stop alleged large-scale abuse; Evers and supporters counter that the request risks infringing on families' privacy and that existing state oversight is adequate. Gov. Evers did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.