Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has openly criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz amid ongoing investigations into alleged fraud within the state's social services system.
As reported by Fox News, Governor Walz is under heightened scrutiny due to these investigations, with President Donald Trump branding Minnesota as a "hub of fraudulent money laundering activity." Musk's remarks, referring to Walz as "Traitor Tim Walz," were made in response to a social media post that humorously referenced a caller on Dave Ramsey's radio show discussing Walz's governance.
The post highlighted Walz's tax increases and the depletion of a state surplus, alongside the current investigations into fraud schemes affecting Minnesota's Medicaid program and other federally funded initiatives for children.
Fox News Digital reached out to Walz's office for comment, but no response was provided. The Trump administration, along with lawmakers, has initiated inquiries into the "Feeding Our Future" fraud scheme, which allegedly misappropriated $250 million from a children's nutrition program funded by the Department of Agriculture and managed by Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scheme has led to charges against at least 77 individuals, exploiting the USDA's relaxed requirements for the Federal Child Nutrition Program.
Another fraud scheme under investigation involves the Housing Stability Services Program, which aimed to provide Medicaid coverage for housing stabilization services to assist individuals with disabilities, mental illnesses, and substance-use disorders. The Justice Department has charged fewer than a dozen individuals in connection with defrauding this program, with further charges anticipated. The majority of those charged belong to Minnesota's Somali community, prompting Trump to announce the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somali migrants in Minnesota, which had shielded them from deportation.
The Department of Homeland Security has launched a significant operation to apprehend and deport those implicated in the fraud. "Our investigative agents are conducting a massive operation to identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are defrauding the American people. We will root out this rampant fraud plaguing Minnesota," the department declared on X.
Despite these efforts, state officials have contested the fraud allegations, particularly following a viral video by YouTuber Nick Shirley that spotlighted alleged fraud in Minnesota's childcare and learning centers.
In response to the video's claims, a spokesperson for Governor Walz asserted that he has long been committed to combating fraud and has "strengthened oversight" of state programs. Similarly, Tikki Brown, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families, addressed the issue during a press conference, noting that prior inspections of the centers did not uncover fraud.
Brown emphasized that regulators are now conducting more unannounced visits to further investigate the matter. "We are aware of a video that's being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota," Brown stated. "While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously."
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