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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s workplace is pushing again in opposition to fraud allegations after a viral video confirmed visits to a number of childcare facilities within the state, together with one which allegedly obtained thousands and thousands of {dollars} in state funding regardless of showing largely inactive.
Responding to questions in regards to the allegations and the video posted by impartial journalist Nick Shirley, a spokesperson for the governor informed Fox Information that Walz has spent years working to “crack down on fraud” and has taken steps to strengthen oversight of state applications, together with initiating investigations into a number of services.
“The governor has labored for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for extra authority to take aggressive motion,” the spokesperson stated. “He has strengthened oversight — together with launching investigations into these particular services, one in every of which was already closed.”
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz listens throughout a listening to with the Home Oversight and Accountability Committee on the U.S. Capitol on June 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Pictures)
The spokesperson added that Walz has “employed an out of doors agency to audit funds to high-risk applications, shut down the Housing Stabilization Companies program completely, introduced a brand new statewide program integrity director, and supported legal prosecutions.”
The response follows the discharge of a 42-minute video by Shirley, posted Friday on X and YouTube, documenting visits to a number of daycare facilities within the blue state, together with a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.
Within the video, Shirley and one other man are seen at what seems to be a largely inactive childcare facility. The constructing additionally shows a misspelled signal studying “High quality Learing Heart,” regardless that the middle is reportedly alleged to account for 99 kids and obtained roughly $4 million in state funds.
Throughout a Sunday look on Fox Information’ “The Large Weekend Present,” Shirley stated the alleged fraud in Minnesota was “so apparent” {that a} “kindergartner might work out that there’s fraud occurring.”
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Throughout a Sunday look on Fox Information’ “The Large Weekend Present,” impartial journalist Nick Shirley stated the alleged fraud in Minnesota was “so apparent” {that a} “kindergartner might work out that there’s fraud occurring.” (Fox Information)
Shirley additionally recommended different journalists could also be reluctant to pursue related reporting out of worry of being labeled “Islamophobic” or “racist.”
“Fraud is fraud, and we work too exhausting merely simply to be paying taxes and enabling fraud to be occurring,” he stated.
The video has sparked widespread backlash, drawing criticism of Walz all through the weekend from a number of high-profile figures, together with Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk.
The White Home on Sunday reposted an X put up from Training Secretary Linda McMahon, who referred to as the alleged fraud a “breathtaking failure that has occurred underneath the watch” of Walz.
In the meantime, FBI Director Kash Patel stated the company has surged further personnel and investigative assets to Minnesota as a part of an ongoing effort to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal applications.”
MISSPELLED LEARNING CENTER, NO CHILDREN INSIDE: EMMER PRESSES WALZ OVER MINNESOTA DAYCARE TIED TO $4M
FBI Director Kash Patel stands throughout a press convention on Oct. 23, 2025, in New York Metropolis. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty)
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The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at the least $1 billion misplaced to alleged social companies fraud largely tied to the Somali group within the Twin Cities.
Fox Information’ Connor Hansen and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
