Tim Walz Subpoenaed in Federal Investigation of Covid Aid Fraud Scheme

[Social Media]

 

Tim Walz has been subpoenaed by a Republican-led House committee as part of an ongoing investigation into one of the largest pandemic fraud schemes in the United States. The investigation centers around the nonprofit organization Feeding Our Future, which faces federal criminal charges for allegedly fabricating children's names to claim reimbursements for meals that were never served.

 

The subpoenas, first obtained by NBC News, were issued to Gov. Walz, Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong. The House Education and Workforce Committee, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), is demanding documents related to the oversight of Feeding Our Future. According to federal prosecutors, the nonprofit misappropriated millions of dollars intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Rep. Foxx emphasized the importance of this inquiry in a letter to Walz, stating that the committee seeks to determine "the extent of your responsibilities and actions addressing the massive fraud that resulted in the abuse of taxpayer dollars intended for hungry children."

 

A spokeswoman for Gov. Walz condemned the alleged fraud as "an appalling abuse of a federal COVID-era program," and added, “The state department of education worked diligently to stop the fraud, and we’re grateful to the FBI for working with the department of education to arrest and charge the individuals involved.”

 

However, a June state audit revealed that the Minnesota Department of Education failed to adequately oversee Feeding Our Future. The audit criticized the department's "actions and inactions," which it said "created opportunities for fraud." The report highlighted that state education officials are responsible for monitoring federal programs that reimburse organizations like Feeding Our Future for providing free meals to children. The audit deemed the department's oversight as "inadequate."

 

Minnesota's top education official, Willie Jett, responded to the audit by blaming the individuals who orchestrated the scheme. “What happened with Feeding Our Future was a travesty — a coordinated, brazen abuse of nutrition programs that exist to ensure access to healthy meals for low-income children," Jett wrote. "The responsibility for this flagrant fraud lies with the indicted and convicted fraudsters.”

 

Gov. Walz, following the audit, asserted that there was no state-level misconduct. “There’s not a single state employee that was implicated in doing anything that was illegal,” he stated during a June press conference. “They simply didn’t do as much due diligence as they should have.”

 

In response to the scandal, Gov. Walz announced the creation of an inspector general position within the state department of education in December 2022. He described it as “a critical step to ensuring proper oversight of federal funds.”

 

Prosecutors allege that Feeding Our Future opened over 250 sites across Minnesota, submitting fraudulent attendance records with the names of fictitious children purportedly receiving meals. The U.S. Justice Department has charged 70 individuals in connection with the scheme, 18 of whom have pleaded guilty, while five were convicted in June.

 

The Minnesota Department of Education first alerted the FBI about possible fraud by Feeding Our Future in April 2021. The FBI subsequently launched an investigation in May 2021. Earlier concerns had been raised in the fall of 2020 during the Trump administration, when the department notified the USDA inspector general’s office, but no action was taken at that time, according to the audit.

 

Rep. Foxx and other Republican leaders initially sought documents from the U.S. Agriculture Department in September 2022, after federal charges were made public. Although the GOP did not control the committees at that time, they renewed their requests once they gained the majority in 2023. In June, the group also requested documents from Commissioner Jett. Foxx criticized the responses from both the USDA and the Minnesota Department of Education as neither "timely nor fully responsive."

 

The timing of the subpoenas, which marked the first public outreach to Gov. Walz by Republicans, has drawn criticism from the committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who called it "weird." 

 

Gov. Walz and other officials have been given until September 18 to provide the requested documents. None are required to testify, according to the subpoenas. NBC News has reached out to the individuals subpoenaed for comment.

 

Credit: NBC 2024-09-06

 

 

 

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[thesetat2013]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

In response to the scandal, Gov. Walz announced the creation of an inspector general position within the state department of education in December 2022. He described it as “a critical step to ensuring proper oversight of federal funds.”

A simple oversight would not have led to so many criminal charges being prosecuted and convicted of. His act of downplaying this is indicative of guilt. He knows this already. What remains to be seen is how much guilt they will be able to make him responsible for. Perhaps now is a good time for him to flee to China? 

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

Minnesota's top education official, Willie Jett, responded to the audit by blaming the individuals who orchestrated the scheme

I sure do hope this puts a dent in Harris's campaign. Although, i foresee lawyers delaying any actions until they see who wins the election. 

 

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

The timing of the subpoenas, which marked the first public outreach to Gov. Walz by Republicans, has drawn criticism from the committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who called it "weird." 

Is everything initiated or said by Republicans now considered weird? I seem to recall many such actions taken against Trump while he was campaigning before. 

[JonnyF]

12 minutes ago, thesetat2013 said:

A simple oversight would not have led to so many criminal charges being prosecuted and convicted of. His act of downplaying this is indicative of guilt. He knows this already.

 

They've got form.

 

Walz also put his lies about his military service down to a grammatical error.

 

As shifty as they come. 

Edited September 6 by JonnyF

[Chomper Higgot]

Another Republican led wild goose chase.

 

 

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

Republican-led House committee

aka Losers.

Be refreshing when MAGA loses its House majority and serious legislation that benefits The People begins.

[Dave0206]

With the intention of feeding children unscrupulous fraudsters jump on the gravy train to prove yet again no good deed goes unpunished. 

If only he had bought overpriced lecterns from a friend this would have been acceptable why did he think feeding hungry children was ok

[cdemundo]

Forget this, let's look into something important like Scoutgate.

Does Walz even have a dog?

What is the deal in the video where he is seen playing with two different dogs?

 

This needs to be cleared up.

Maybe a special prosecutor needs to be appointed.

[retarius]

Maybe I'm biased, but I'm sure he is guilty as a fraudster. Stealing federal money....but it usually goers unpunished look at Dick Cheney's Halliburton that claimed millions of dollars for meals for troops that were never delivered. 

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, thesetat2013 said:

A simple oversight would not have led to so many criminal charges being prosecuted and convicted of. His act of downplaying this is indicative of guilt. He knows this already. What remains to be seen is how much guilt they will be able to make him responsible for. Perhaps now is a good time for him to flee to China? 

I sure do hope this puts a dent in Harris's campaign. Although, i foresee lawyers delaying any actions until they see who wins the election. 

 

Is everything initiated or said by Republicans now considered weird? I seem to recall many such actions taken against Trump while he was campaigning before. 

“Sure hopes it puts a dent in Harris’s campaign”? Really? I never would have guessed. You and the rest of Trump supporting ilk, I hope … will be sorely disappointed if the vast majority of Americans vote. Why do I think this? Because you all are clearly a minority of the citizens in your thinking.

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Another Republican led wild goose chase.

 

 

I do not mind any oversight investigation, however, fraud took place when? By whom (charges and guilt findings already on file). Yep, Republican attempt to damage Walz for political ends … that is the clear motivation currently.

[TheFishman1]

It’s a check all the deals that Trump’s daughter made with China

[ThaiFelix]

30 minutes ago, retarius said:

Maybe I'm biased, but I'm sure he is guilty as a fraudster. Stealing federal money....but it usually goers unpunished look at Dick Cheney's Halliburton that claimed millions of dollars for meals for troops that were never delivered. 

Not to mention the mess halls that were refurbished by Haliburton while at the same time being replaced with a new mess hall down the road because beyond repair?  And no-one in Haliburton, or elsewhere, spotted the duplication error.

[thesetat2013]

37 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

“Sure hopes it puts a dent in Harris’s campaign”? Really? I never would have guessed. You and the rest of Trump supporting ilk, I hope … will be sorely disappointed if the vast majority of Americans vote. Why do I think this? Because you all are clearly a minority of the citizens in your thinking.

Sorry you have me mistaken... I am not a Trump supporter.. I am a Harris anti-supporter. 

[cdemundo]

"The timing of the subpoenas, which marked the first public outreach to Gov. Walz by Republicans, has drawn criticism"

 

Duh.

[thaipo7]

9 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Another Republican led wild goose chase.

 

 

NO it isn't.  The Democrats are just plain corrupt.  If not for the corrupt DOJ under Garland there would be plenty of Democrats trials going on.

 

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, retarius said:

Maybe I'm biased, but I'm sure he is guilty as a fraudster. Stealing federal money....but it usually goers unpunished look at Dick Cheney's Halliburton that claimed millions of dollars for meals for troops that were never delivered. 

No "Maybe" about it.

[placeholder]

20 minutes ago, thaipo7 said:

NO it isn't.  The Democrats are just plain corrupt.  If not for the corrupt DOJ under Garland there would be plenty of Democrats trials going on.

 

During Trump's tenukre, William Barr and John Durham tried their best to dig up dirt and find criminal conduct in the Dept of Justice and elsewhere. They came up with nothing.

[Tug]

1 hour ago, thaipo7 said:

NO it isn't.  The Democrats are just plain corrupt.  If not for the corrupt DOJ under Garland there would be plenty of Democrats trials going on.

 

No in this particular case it’s a fishing expedition looking for methods to attack walz.now if you want corruption with a capital C look to trump he’s the poster boy for fraud,ripping off his chairty his scam university……how much did he get fined for defrauding the state of NY????there’s plenty of corruption to go around no doubt about it.personally I feel in this case it’s a fishing expedition.

[candide]

1 hour ago, thaipo7 said:

NO it isn't.  The Democrats are just plain corrupt.  If not for the corrupt DOJ under Garland there would be plenty of Democrats trials going on.

 

You guys only have conspiracy theory arguments on any subject. Are you you that desperate?

[Tug]

2 minutes ago, candide said:

You guys only have conspiracy theory arguments on any subject. Are you you that desperate?

Yes they are clutching their plastic straws close to their chests lmao 😂 

[candide]

9 minutes ago, Tug said:

Yes they are clutching their plastic straws close to their chests lmao 😂 

Their problem is that they have nothing on Waltz or Harris. So they need to pretend they have something

 😀

[bendejo]

4 hours ago, thaipo7 said:

NO it isn't.  The Democrats are just plain corrupt.  If not for the corrupt DOJ under Garland there would be plenty of Democrats trials going on.

 

 

Did someone say corrupt DOJ  ?

 

If Harris gets elected she'll have to clean up this MAGA rats' nest once and for all.

 

[Luuk Chaai]

On 9/6/2024 at 2:16 PM, wwest5829 said:

“Sure hopes it puts a dent in Harris’s campaign”? Really? I never would have guessed. You and the rest of Trump supporting ilk, I hope … will be sorely disappointed if the vast majority of Americans vote. Why do I think this? Because you all are clearly a minority of the citizens in your thinking.

or as Sleepy Creepy (Let my son show you how to do it )  and Crooked Hillary would put it

[Yagoda]

The person who vetted Sgt.Major Warrior Tampon Tim should be fired.