Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), the House Majority Whip, has issued a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz demanding answers and immediate action following allegations of large-scale fraud involving Somali-run, publicly funded daycare and healthcare centers. The letter comes after a viral investigation by citizen journalist Nick Shirley who reportedly uncovered over $110 million in fraud in a single day.
In a December 29 letter addressed to Governor Tim Walz, Rep. Tom Emmer voiced sharp condemnation over what he called a “national disgrace” linked to Minnesota’s administration. “Amid the national disgrace you’ve inflicted upon Minnesota,” Emmer began, “I have become further appalled at the recent reports of a blatant, large-scale fraud scheme within Somali-run healthcare and daycare centers throughout the state.” He called on Walz to take immediate action and stated plainly: “I pray you were not complicit in allowing these centers to survive.” Emmer noted that Shirley had recently traveled to Minnesota to investigate what he described as “potentially the largest fraud scandal in U.S. history” involving the funneling of billions in taxpayer dollars through Somali-run businesses and public service operations, including daycares, transportation services, and healthcare providers. Emmer cited estimates that more than $9 billion in taxpayer funds had been stolen under Governor Walz’s administration — an amount he noted was nearly equal to Somalia’s entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
