By Alan Wooten (The Center Square)
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whose reputation has already been shattered by his military career, now faces a trial by a congressional committee chaired by a North Carolina lawmaker over his educational achievements in student food.
In what U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., called “the nation’s largest COVID-19 fraud scheme,” sent letters and subpoenas Wednesday to Waltz and his state administration’s involvement with federal child nutrition programs and Feeding Our Future, as well as the Biden administration’s U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Office of Inspector General.
RELATED: Florida files lawsuit over violent alien released from prison and brought to US
Waltz is the Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate.
According to a press release from the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in 2022, U.S. prosecutors charged more than 70 people with “defrauding the USDA of $250 million in taxpayer funds.” Five people have been convicted, and dozens more are awaiting trial, with charges including but not limited to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering.
“As the Chief Executive Officer and highest-ranking public official of the State of Minnesota, you are responsible for the administration of MDE and FCNP.” Fox’s letter reads:. “Statements made to the press by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executives were involved in or had knowledge of the FCNP management and actions of MDE and its responsibility for large-scale fraud.”
From the official website of the Minnesota Governor’s Office Walz is proud of its achievements in providing: Free breakfast and lunch at school for in-school students. Program names not included in the fee.
Walls has been a target of criticism since Harris’s campaign picked him on Aug. 6. He has lied about his National Guard rank and duty station while campaigning for Congress and governor for years, even putting the wrong label on a challenge coin. His behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn criticism. He has also drawn criticism from himself for his handling of the riots following the death of George Floyd.
In letters dated November 14, 2023, and June 14, 2023, Fox requested information showing the actions of Walz and other executives, which it said were “insufficient to address the massive fraud.”
RELATED: ‘Diversity’ Doesn’t Include Disabled Veterans Like Me
The letter said that when asked about Walls’ decision not to hold the agency accountable and whether any MDE employees were disciplined, he responded, “This was not misconduct.’ He also said, ‘Not a single state employee did anything illegal.’”
Fox said her committee “has been unable to obtain substantive responses to the many requests it has voluntarily made on this issue.”
at Letter to Minnesota Board of Education Willie JettFoxx stated, “On June 25, 2024 and August 9, 2024, the Commission received two additional submissions of documentation. Despite these submissions, the documentation and information provided to the Commission does not explain why your agency and USDA failed to identify what has been described as the largest pandemic fraud in the nation. MDE’s submissions of information were neither timely nor fully responsive. Therefore, the Commission finds that Request a compulsory procedure.”
USDA funds the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program under the federal child nutrition program administered by state agencies. States enter into contracts and then request reimbursement.
The State of Minnesota (Department of Education) is the administrator of this program, including funding and meal locations. Feeding Our Future is a nonprofit organization approved by the Department of Education.
The $250 million fine relates to money used for luxury vehicles, real estate and “other illicit purchases,” the press release said.
Co-published with permission from Center Square.
