It shouldn’t must be mentioned, however right here we’re: waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer {dollars} is unsuitable. It’s displaying up with alarming frequency throughout the county.
What was dismissed as a “one-off” scandal or an unlucky oversight is beginning to appear to be one thing a lot larger. What’s changing into more durable to disregard is who seems to be benefiting when oversight collapses.
A latest nationwide survey from the Cato Institute discovered that Individuals consider the federal authorities wastes 59 cents of each greenback it spends. Ninety-eight p.c of Individuals assume there may be at the least some waste, fraud, or abuse in authorities spending, and two-thirds say there’s a substantial quantity. Practically 9 in ten Individuals help auditing all authorities spending to root it out.
Folks clearly don’t really feel revered by how their cash is being dealt with.
In Minnesota, investigators and journalists have raised critical questions on fraud schemes tied to networks that disproportionately benefited non-citizens, whereas the households truly paying into the system had been left footing the invoice. We’ve all seen the experiences of luxurious properties, high-end automobiles, and designer attire funded by applications meant to serve youngsters and low-income households. It’s exhausting to not see that as profoundly unpatriotic.
Right here’s the half many are forgetting: taxpayer {dollars} don’t magically seem. American households work exhausting for his or her cash. They clock in early, work late, juggle little one care, groceries, hire or mortgage funds, scholar loans, and utility payments that appear to rise each month. They price range fastidiously as a result of they must. When the federal government takes a bigger share of that paycheck, the expectation is straightforward: don’t waste it.
When Minnesota’s fraud scandals lastly reached a boiling level, Governor Tim Walz did the naked minimal. He stepped away from his 2026 re-election marketing campaign, saying, “I’m extra dedicated to this state than I’ve ever been.” But it surely’s too late. The injury is already executed, and the complete scope of what occurred there may be nonetheless coming into focus. This hits residence for us in Massachusetts, and residents ought to be paying consideration. The warning indicators are beginning to look very acquainted.
Right here at residence, two males had been charged in a SNAP advantages fraud scheme costing taxpayers greater than $7 million. Prosecutors allege the defendants offered meal packs meant for susceptible households abroad and exchanged thousands and thousands in advantages for money. That cash was meant to assist feed youngsters and help these in want. As a substitute, it was siphoned off and exploited.
And whereas $7 million is dangerous, it barely registers in comparison with what Massachusetts taxpayers have already absorbed.
The state burned by way of greater than a billion {dollars} on failed migrant shelter plans, with little to indicate for it. When questions started piling up, detailed public reporting quietly stopped. Transparency didn’t enhance. It disappeared. If that doesn’t increase alarm bells, it ought to.
That is precisely how Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future scandal unfolded. This system was rolled out underneath the banner of compassion. Oversight was lax. Inside warnings had been brushed apart. Auditors flagged issues that went unaddressed. And all of the whereas, checks saved going out the door. By the point federal prosecutors stepped in, tons of of thousands and thousands had been stolen, and taxpayers had been left holding the bag.
Management isn’t appearing shocked after the cash is gone. Management is asking exhausting questions earlier than it ever leaves the treasury.
Massachusetts now dangers repeating the identical errors.
Practically one in seven Massachusetts residents receives SNAP advantages, a fee far increased than neighboring states like New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut. Investigators and courtroom information have raised considerations about childcare suppliers that refused inspections, failed to reply to scheduled visits, and reported enrollment numbers that didn’t align with actuality. These aren’t minor administrative errors. They’re evident purple flags.
And when purple flags are ignored, fraud thrives.
Each greenback stolen is a greenback taken from a working household. It’s cash that would have stayed in a family price range to pay for groceries, heating oil, little one care, or tuition. As a substitute, it’s funneled into methods which might be lengthy on slogans and brief on accountability.
The widespread thread between Minnesota and Massachusetts isn’t ideology. It’s governance: one-party dominance, bloated bureaucracies, weak oversight, and leaders who confuse intentions with outcomes. My concern is that we’re solely on the tip of the iceberg relating to fraud. There’s extra coming, and we’ll be paying consideration.
Jennifer Nassour is the co-founder of the Pocketbook Challenge, host of the Political Contessa Podcast, and former Chair of the Massachusetts GOP.
