Minnesota’s political scene just got a whole lot spicier with accusations of a cover-up that could make even the most seasoned taxpayer wince.

House Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer is claiming Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison (both D) are deliberately ignoring massive fraud tied to Somali immigrants to secure votes from that community for their upcoming reelection bids.

For hardworking Minnesota taxpayers, this isn’t just a political spat—it’s a direct hit to the wallet, with a federal prosecutor revealing that social programs in the state have bled at least $9 billion to fraud since 2018 under Walz’s watch.

Uncovering Allegations of Fraud Cover-Up

Emmer isn’t pulling punches, arguing that the fraud in Minnesota is being swept under the rug to keep a key voting bloc happy.

He points to the Somali community, numbering around 80,000 statewide, with a heavy concentration of 50,000 to 60,000 in Minneapolis and Hennepin County’s Riverside area, as a critical piece of the Democratic strategy.

With Walz and Ellison nearing the end of their second terms and eyeing a third, Emmer suggests their reliance on this demographic is why they’re turning a blind eye to serious financial misconduct.

Policy Barriers to Fraud Investigations

Adding fuel to the fire, Emmer has highlighted a policy in Ellison’s office that requires his personal green light before any fraud investigations can move forward.

“So what is this about? This is about the fact that when he and Keith Ellison took office, Keith Ellison instantly set up a policy in his attorney general’s office that required his approval before any further investigations into fraud could go forward,” Emmer said.

“Guess what? He’s never approved one of them,” he added, painting a picture of deliberate obstruction that leaves conservatives wondering if justice is even on the table.

Scandals Highlight Systemic Issues

One glaring example is the “Feeding Our Future” program, intended to provide meals to children during the COVID pandemic with federal funds, but allegedly failing to deliver while funds vanished.

Most of those charged in this scandal are of Somali descent, raising questions about oversight in programs tied to specific communities.

More recently, independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a 42-minute video exposing daycares and learning centers in Minneapolis—many linked to Somali immigrants—that receive state funding yet appear to serve no children.

Federal Response and State Pushback

The scale of the problem has drawn federal attention, with the Trump administration stepping in by sending agents to Minneapolis for door-to-door checks on suspected fraud sites just earlier this week.

In a drastic move, the Department of Health and Human Services has frozen all child care payments to Minnesota, while three Republican representatives—Brad Finstad, Pete Stauber, and Michelle Fischbach—penned a letter to Walz demanding cooperation with federal probes.

“Minnesotans, and the American people at large, deserve answers,” the representatives wrote, echoing a sentiment many conservatives share about accountability for what they call a betrayal of public trust.