Tim Walz pushes back on Minnesota fraud allegations following viral daycare video
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s office is pushing back against fraud allegations after a viral video showed visits to multiple childcare centers in the state, including one that allegedly received millions...
By Fox News · Fox News
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s office is pushing back against fraud allegations after a viral video showed visits to multiple childcare centers in the state, including one that allegedly received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing largely inactive. Responding to questions about the allegations and the video posted by independent journalist Nick Shirley, a spokesperson for the governor told Fox News that Walz has spent years working to "crack down on fraud" and has taken steps to strengthen oversight of state programs, including initiating investigations into several facilities. "The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action," the spokesperson said. "He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed." LAWMAKERS PROBE SBA LOANS LINKED TO MINNESOTA’S $9B FRAUD SCANDAL: 'RECKLESS DECISION MAKING' The spokesperson added that Walz has "hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions." The response follows the release of a 42-minute video by Shirley, posted Friday on X and YouTube, documenting visits to several daycare centers in the blue state , including a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. In the video, Shirley and another man are seen at what appears to be a largely inactive childcare facility. The building also displays a misspelled sign reading "Quality Learing Center," even though the center is reportedly supposed to account for 99 children and received roughly $4 million in state funds. During a Sunday appearance on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show," Shirley said the alleged fraud in Minnesota was "so obvious" that a "kindergartner could figure out that there is fraud going on." FBI SURGES RESOURCES TO MINNESOTA…