“TRAITOR TIM”: Elon Musk Unleashes On Tim Walz With New Nickname Amid Minnesota Fraud Investigations
As investigations widen into multiple alleged fraud schemes involving Minnesota’s social services programs, Gov. Tim Walz is facing mounting criticism from high-profile figures and federal officials.
President Donald Trump has publicly described Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” as his administration and members of Congress move forward with probes into the state’s handling of federally funded aid programs.
Elon Musk weighed in sharply on Tuesday, offering a blunt assessment of the Minnesota governor.
“Traitor Tim Walz,” Musk said in a Tuesday post on X.
Musk’s comment was prompted by a separate social media post that mocked a hypothetical call to personal finance radio host Dave Ramsey, describing Walz’s record as governor.
That post cited claims that Walz raised taxes, depleted billions of dollars from a state budget surplus, and is now under scrutiny over multiple alleged fraud schemes involving Medicaid and other programs intended to feed children.
One of the largest investigations centers on the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, a $250 million scheme that allegedly exploited a federally funded children’s nutrition program overseen by Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scheme took advantage of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to waive certain Federal Child Nutrition Program requirements, according to investigators.
So far, at least 77 individuals have been charged in connection with that case.
Another major investigation involves Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program, which provided Medicaid coverage for housing stabilization services aimed at individuals with disabilities, mental health conditions, and substance-use disorders.
The Justice Department has charged fewer than a dozen people to date in that case, but authorities have indicated that additional charges are expected.
Many of those charged across the various cases are members of Minnesota’s Somali community, a fact that drew national attention after Trump announced in November that he was ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali migrants in the state, which had shielded them from deportation.
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said it is taking an active role in addressing the alleged misconduct.
“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 of Homeland Security wrote on X.
Despite the growing investigations, state officials have pushed back strongly against claims that fraud has been ignored or enabled at the highest levels.
That defense intensified after a viral video posted Friday by YouTuber Nick Shirley drew widespread attention to alleged misconduct at Minnesota childcare and learning centers.
A spokesperson for Walz responded by saying the governor has spent years working to combat fraud and has taken steps to improve oversight of state-administered programs.
Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown echoed that position during a Monday press conference, stating that earlier inspections of the facilities did not uncover fraud and that regulators are now increasing unannounced visits.
“We are aware of a video that’s being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota,” Brown said. “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.”
{Matzav.com}
