Rep. Emmer to Newsmax: Minnesota AG Should Be Disbarred

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on Thursday cited newly surfaced whistleblower claims and an alleged audio recording involving Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison as Republicans intensify scrutiny of the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.

During an appearance on Newsmax's "National Report," Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, said a House Oversight Committee investigation uncovered testimony suggesting state officials were alerted to suspicious activity tied to the program earlier than previously acknowledged.

Emmer said one whistleblower, described as the Minnesota Department of Education's assistant commissioner, told investigators that state leaders were notified about potential fraud connected to Feeding Our Future as early as April 2020.

The claim, he said, contradicts statements from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ellison about when they became aware of the scheme.

"Yesterday, they didn't want to answer my questions, especially Keith Ellison," Emmer said, referring to Wednesday's House Oversight Committee hearing that focused on the state's massive fraud scandal and the Trump administration's recent immigration surge. "I understand why."

Feeding Our Future was at the center of what federal prosecutors have described as a $250 million fraud operation involving pandemic-era child nutrition programs, the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme uncovered in the United States.

Emmer also referenced what he described as a 54-minute audio recording of Ellison meeting with individuals he called "Somali fraudsters" linked to the scandal.

According to Emmer, the meeting occurred in December 2021, shortly before the FBI issued subpoenas related to the case.

In the recording, Emmer alleged, Ellison assured the group he would oppose attempts to scrutinize the programs they were running.

"Instead, in that tape where he claims he knew nothing about the fraud, Keith Ellison assured the Somali fraudsters that he would block any attempt to scrutinize them," Emmer said.

Emmer also said Ellison accepted campaign contributions from individuals tied to the meeting within weeks of it taking place.

Federal investigators have charged dozens of people in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme, accusing them of exploiting federal child nutrition programs created to feed children during pandemic-related school closures.

Ellison's office has previously said the attorney general's office worked with law enforcement as the investigation unfolded.

Emmer argued the emerging claims warrant serious consequences if confirmed.

"If this is continuing to be confirmed by people that are speaking under oath, these guys, and in particular Keith Ellison, he should be disbarred immediately and he should go to jail," Emmer said.

Walz's testimony, Emmer added, "is indicative of a guy who knows that he's caught.

"They are trying to obfuscate. They're trying to run out the clock on this thing. It's not going to work," he told Newsmax. "The fraud, they knew about it. They actually according to whistleblowers, they actually ignored whistleblowers. And more importantly, they retaliated against them.

"The assistant commissioner of education, under oath, told the oversight committee that Keith Ellison, in particular, threatened them with being racists, being Islamophobe xenophobes, and literally threatened them so that they would not investigate these people.

"Again, long before he had the infamous 54-minute recorded meeting with them where he said that he would take care of this, that he would make sure that he called these people and held them accountable so that they wouldn't do an investigation."

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