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Amid backlash over the wide-scale Minnesota Medicaid fraud scandal that has occurred under the leadership of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, some Democrats are dodging responsibility, but others have said Walz should be held accountable.
“I think any instance of fraud should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent, and so the federal government should play an oversight role in federal dollars,” Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., told Fox News Digital. “States have an obligation though to make sure that they’re administering these programs. Any instance should be investigated. Where there’s fraud, people should be prosecuted for that fraud.”
When pressed on whether he thinks Walz should be compelled to testify for letting so much money be lost to fraud under his watch, Olszewski said “anyone” involved in large-scale fraud “should come before Congress and tell us what happened.”
ILHAN OMAR DEFENDS MEALS ACT DESPITE TIES TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME
Olszewski wasn’t the only Democrat Fox News Digital heard from who suggested Walz should face the music, but others dodged the question and some pointed the finger at President Donald Trump and Republicans.
“It is not a partisan issue. I just wish that we could focus on really looking at where the facts take us and not have it be that one side is trying to fight waste, fraud, abuse, and the other isn’t,” said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., when asked if anything should be done to prevent such wide scale fraud – as was seen in Minnesota – from happening in the first place.
‘EPICENTER OF FRAUD’: MINNESOTA’S EMPTY STOMACHS, FAKE AUTISM THERAPY AND A SCANDAL THAT COULD TOP $2 BILLION
“There’s always a fraud issue. That’s why the Department of Justice had a huge civil fraud division that did a lot of great work, and that’s why we have [Inspector Generals] and the like throughout the federal government. The elimination of those, firing that cadre of people was one of the worst things the Trump administration could do if they’re serious about fighting waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md.
“Oh, I don’t know that you need the governor to do it. Certainly somebody from Minnesota that has the best insight into what went wrong should,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va, told Fox News Digital on whether Walz should testify.
In a Thursday press conference, federal authorities in Minnesota announced new charges in the fraud scandal that has grabbed national headlines and spoke on the scope of the crisis, saying that it goes beyond what has previously been reported.
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According to one report, Minnesota Democratic lawmakers received over $50,000 in campaign donations by fraudsters who ripped off taxpayer funds meant to help feed children.
Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.