Sen. J.D. Vance referred Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison to the DOJ on June 8 after a Republican-led House Oversight Committee reported alleged fraud and oversight failures in federally funded social programs. The committee estimated about $300 million in child nutrition funds and up to $9 billion in Medicaid-related funds were lost or at risk. Walz and Ellison deny the allegations and call the referral politically motivated. The action comes amid other federal scrutiny of Walz tied to separate immigration-related inquiries.
Sen. J.D. Vance Refers Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to DOJ, Says Up To $9B in Medicaid Funds Were Put At Risk
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA (2)
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) on June 8 asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, citing findings from a Republican-led House Oversight Committee report that alleges years of widespread fraud and oversight failures in federally funded social programs.
The Oversight Committee's report claims state officials were aware of serious problems that left an estimated $300 million in federal child nutrition funds and potentially $9 billion in Medicaid-related funds "lost or placed at serious risk." In a public post on X, Vance said Minnesota officials "are not above the law" and urged criminal inquiry if officials "facilitated fraud, lied under oath, or harassed and intimidated whistleblowers."
Official Responses
Both Gov. Walz and Attorney General Ellison rejected the committee's findings. A spokesperson for Walz noted the governor's March testimony before the Oversight Committee and called the panel partisan and politically motivated. Ellison described the referral as "unfounded" and "a political stunt," saying it diverted public resources toward partisan attacks instead of serving residents.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
"Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimated whistleblowers, they must face justice," wrote Sen. J.D. Vance on X.
Context And Ongoing Inquiries
This referral follows an earlier Justice Department probe announced in January that involved Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. That separate inquiry focused on whether statements by state or local officials impeded federal immigration enforcement after a surge of federal immigration officers in Minneapolis that prompted protests; the events preceded the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during encounters with federal officers.
Legal and political observers note the highly partisan context: the Oversight Committee is Republican-led, and critics say the report and the referral reflect political pressure as much as legal concern. Supporters of the referral argue it is a necessary step to determine whether criminal conduct occurred and whether federal funds were misused or inadequately protected.
The situation remains fluid. The DOJ has not publicly announced whether it will open a criminal investigation based on Vance's referral or the committee report. The governor's office and the attorney general's office have maintained their denials and framed the actions as politically motivated.
Help us improve.
