Rand Paul: Biden FBI tracked Catholic teacher with no Jan 6 ties in ‘weaponized’ probe
The FBI under the Biden administration spent two years investigating a Catholic school teacher — and even put her on a terror watchlist — based on an unverified tip that connected her to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021, according to a new congressional report. Christine Crowder wasn’t at the U.S. Capitol when a mob overran the building to prevent the certification of the 2020 election, according to findings released by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She was, however, in D.C. for a rally for President Donald Trump earlier that day, and the FBI spent 23 months tracking her for it, the report said. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., called the move an overreach of federal power based on insufficient evidence. BIDEN DOJ AND FBI CONSIDERED CRIMINAL PROBE INTO KYRSTEN SINEMA AFTER SHE LEFT DEMOCRATIC PARTY “A free society cannot tolerate a system in which programs and authorities intended to keep the public safe are instead weaponized against them due to mere suspicion,” Paul said. “The records released today show how an unverified tip that the FBI failed to substantiate led to nearly two years of surveillance of an innocent American.” According to a timeline put out by the committee, the FBI’s probe of Crowder first began in January 2021, when an anonymous tipster claimed to have recognized her in news coverage of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building. Despite an initial negative match for her face and geolocation, the FBI expanded its probe, and, for the better part of two years, conducted physical surveillance of the Crowder household, put her on a travel watchlist, secured a warrant for her Facebook account and even prepared a prosecution case against her, the report said. The FBI would finally drop the case in June 2023 when the bureau determined that it could not positively place Crowder at the Capitol on Jan. 6. “After conducting pertinent checks, FBI found no evidence that Crowder definitively entered the Capitol Building. At the time Crowder was supposedly exiting the Capitol, she was elsewhere in D.C.,” the bureau wrote in its closing finding. FBI TO BE UNDER HARSH NEW MICROSCOPE AS STEFANIK SCORES VICTORY IN ANNUAL DEFENSE BILL According to the committee, Crowder’s case surfaced as a part of a larger investigation into whether Biden-era federal agencies used flight watchlists to conduct politically motivated surveillance under their Quiet Skies Program. Crowder’s case also overlaps with religious profiling memos used internally by the FBI under the Biden administration. Lawmakers had previously uncovered internal FBI communications under the Biden administration that, in 2022, had targeted traditionalist Catholic places of worship in Richmond. In the view of an FBI memo, those churches were suspected of radicalizing ethnically motivated extremists. The FBI rescinded the memo after a whistleblower released the memo to the public. The memo fed into concern among Republican lawmakers that the FBI and other agencies had used religious and political profiling to justify surveillance. Those same Republican concerns about weaponized suspicions extended to the Quiet Skies Program — a surveillance initiative that has since been terminated under the Trump administration. It sought to monitor targets who could post security risks, but who hadn’t formally been designated as threats by federal agencies. Republicans feared that the program created an amorphous gray area that allowed for travel surveillance even without a credible danger to national security. In one such case, the committee’s previous work revealed that the TSA had placed surveillance on future Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on at least five flights in 2024 after attending an event in Vatican City. Gabbard told lawmakers she believed the surveillance only began after she made statements critical of then-President Joe Biden. With regard to the Crowder case, FBI Director Kash Patel called the effort a misapplication of the bureau’s focus and resources. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Quiet Skies Program cost taxpayers $200 million annually. “This case is an example of misplaced priorities and everything that went wrong with federal law enforcement in the aftermath of January 6,” Patel said in a statement released by the committee. JIM JORDAN ACCUSES DOJ OF ‘SPYING’ ON HIM FOR YEARS THROUGH SECRET PHONE RECORD SUBPOENAS “When a Catholic kindergarten teacher from Texas can be surveilled for more than two years simply for being in Washington, D.C., without entering the Capitol, without committing a crime, we have crossed from legitimate investigation into political overreach.” Paul echoed Patel’s framing, thanking the administration for terminating the program. “I am grateful for FBI Director Kash Patel’s cooperation in producing these records, and I appreciate Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for ending the Quiet Skies program. The conduct revealed by these documents underscores the need to limit the power of faceless bureaucrats who have too often infringed on the rights of the people,” Paul said.
Republican congressman hospitalized after car accident, sources say
Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., has been hospitalized after a car accident, Fox News has learned. Baird, 80, is responsive and in stable condition, Fox News sources said. Details about the incident remain unclear, although President Donald Trump said that the incident was “pretty bad” and that Baird’s wife was also injured. HOUSE GOP REP DOUG LAMALFA DEAD AT 65 “I also want to send our best wishes to Congressman Jim Baird and his wife, who were recovering from a car accident,” Trump said Tuesday during remarks at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. “They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident and we’re praying that they get out of that hospital very quickly.” Trump also paid tribute to Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., who has died at age 65. His death brings House Republicans’ majority down to 218–213. Baird, known on Capitol Hill for veterans and farming issues, has represented Indiana’s 4th Congressional District since 2019. The district is a largely rural, agriculture-heavy area in western and north-central Indiana. RED STATE MOVES FORWARD ON TRUMP-BACKED PUSH FOR NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP A U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War, Baird later became a veterinarian and entered politics after decades in private practice. Before entering Congress, Baird served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and as a Putnam County commissioner before that, from 2006 to 2010. Over the weekend, Baird hailed the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. “We are fortunate to have a president willing to follow through on protecting American lives. Decisive leadership as commander in chief matters, and it gives our men and women in uniform the confidence they need to carry out difficult missions against those who threaten our country,” Baird wrote on X. “Holding indicted criminals accountable and denying drug traffickers a safe haven sends a clear message: The United States will not tolerate foreign actors who enable the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our communities.
Republicans rally behind Trump’s military strike to arrest Maduro as Democrats sound alarm: poll
Republicans and Democrats sharply disagree over support for the military operation President Donald Trump ordered to arrest Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro, according to a new national poll. Sixty-five percent of Republicans questioned in the survey by Reuters/Ipsos said they backed the strike, carried out by the U.S. military before dawn on Saturday, in which Maduro was captured and handed over to federal authorities for prosecution on drug trafficking charges. But only 23% of Independents and just 11% of Democrats questioned in the survey, which was conducted Sunday and Monday, approved of the military operation in Venezuela. WHO’S WHO IN THE MADURO CASE, AS JUDGE, PROSECUTORS, AND DEFENSE FACE OFF Nearly two-thirds of Democrats and 35% of Independents, but just 5% of Republicans, said they didn’t approve of the strike. Overall, a third of those questioned approved of the mission, a third had no opinion or didn’t answer the question, and 34% disapproved. AG BONDI TELLS FOX NEWS ‘NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE’ AFTER MADURO ARREST Trump, who has long criticized foreign interventions by his predecessors in the White House, has said the U.S. will “run” Venezuela. “We’re in charge,” the president reiterated to reporters. But 72% of all adults questioned in the survey, including 90% of Democrats, 74% of Independents and 54% of Republicans, said they worry the U.S. will get too involved in Venezuela. RUBIO DEFENDS VENEZUELA OPERATION OVER LACK OF CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR MADURO CAPTURE The president on Monday said he’s prepared to send U.S. ground troops to Venezuela if leaders in the South American nation don’t cooperate. And vowing to overhaul and rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry, Trump said the U.S. needs “total access” to the country’s expansive oil fields. Sixty percent of Republicans surveyed said they supported sending U.S. troops to Venezuela, compared to just 30% of all adults. But reflecting concerns among those in the GOP who advocate an America First agenda, only 43% of Republican respondents agreed with the statement, “The United States should have a policy of dominating affairs in the Western Hemisphere,” with 19% disagreeing and the remainder unsure or not answering the question. The president’s approval rating in the survey stood at 42%, up three points from the previous Reuters/Ipsos survey, which was conducted in December.
National Rifle Association sues its charitable foundation, alleging takeover by ‘disgruntled’ ex-board members
The National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit on Monday accusing its charitable foundation, the NRA Foundation, of misusing $160 million in donations. The NRA alleged the foundation used its trademarks without authorization and diverted donations intended for NRA charitable programs. The group also claimed former NRA directors seized control of the foundation to compete with the gun rights organization. “The Foundation has been seized by a disgruntled faction of former NRA directors who lost control of the NRA’s Board following revelations of financial improprieties, mismanagement, and breaches of fiduciary duty and member trust,” attorneys for the NRA wrote in the complaint. The attorney claimed that the faction of former directors seeks to use the foundation to reclaim control after having been “booted out of power by the NRA’s members.” BLACK LIVES MATTER OKC LEADER CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING IN ALLEGED $3.15M EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEME The suit claims that the foundation has a personal “beef” with the NRA, and that the faction is “bitter” about losing control of the NRA’s board following “a series of scandals.” Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s former chief, resigned in January 2024 as he was set to face trial in a corruption case brought by Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James. Prosecutors alleged that NRA executives used millions in company funds on luxury personal purchases and trips. US APPEALS COURT STRIKES DOWN CALIFORNIA OPEN-CARRY GUN BAN IN MAJOR SECON AMENDMENT RULING A jury found the organization liable for financial mismanagement, ordering LaPierre to repay the group $4,351,231. A judge later decided not to assign an outside monitor to oversee the NRA, but banned LaPierre from employment with the organization for ten years. The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to bar the foundation from what the NRA calls unfair competition, including promoting or advertising any affiliation with the NRA or using its logo. It also seeks to block conduct that could lead the public to believe the foundation’s activities are “sponsored, endorsed, or authorized by, or associated or connected with” the NRA.
Mamdani admits he has no federal security clearance after claiming he was ‘briefed’ on Venezuela raid
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted he has no federal security clearance on Monday, just a day after claiming he had been “briefed” about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Mamdani was asked directly about his security clearance during a Monday press briefing, ultimately saying that he had not yet received it. The freshly-inaugurated mayor had been the butt of viral jokes on social media from users suggesting he had inflated his access to information about the strike in his initial statement. “You don’t have federal security clearance yet, and has anyone from a federal agency reached out to you or members of your team to begin the vetting to get federal security clearance?” a reporter asked. “That briefing, yes, was conducted by my team,” Mamdani responded. “And the question of federal security clearance is one that’s on and on.” US MILITARY DETAILS TIMELINE OF OPERATION TO CAPTURE MADURO, REVEALING MORE THAN 150 AIRCRAFT INVOLVED “So you do have it?” the reporter pressed. “No, not as yet,” the mayor admitted. The exchange came after Mamdani’s initial statement on the Venezuela raid appeared to suggest he had received inside information on the operation. JONATHAN TURLEY: MADURO OPERATION WAS LEGAL, BUT TRUMP MAKES IT COMPLICATED “I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City,” Mamdani wrote on X after news of Maduro’s capture broke. He went on to condemn the move by President Donald Trump, but some users on social media called him out for inflating his access. “Called it,” wrote one user whose post on the topic received over 140,000 “likes.” Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
House GOP Rep Doug LaMalfa dead at 65
U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., has died at age 65. LaMalfa represented the 1st Congressional District, part of Northern California, and was chair of the Congressional Western Caucus. His death brings House Republicans’ majority down to 218–213. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., confirmed LaMalfa’s death on X. SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S AIMING FOR IN 2026 “Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America. Our prayers are with Doug’s wife, Jill, and their children,” Emmer said. LaMalfa was known as a champion of conservative causes as well as a kind man to both reporters and his fellow House lawmakers. SOCIALIST WINS PILE UP AFTER GOP’S BRUTAL 2025 OFF-YEAR ELECTION LOSSES With his death and the recent resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., House Republicans currently can lose only two votes to still pass anything along party lines. It’s a perilously slim majority as Republicans kick off the second half of the 119th Congress with hopes of passing a second “big, beautiful bill.” LaMalfa’s death appears to have caught a majority of his colleagues by surprise, with tributes pouring out for the late congressman on Tuesday morning. “Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California. He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families. Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service,” said National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C. LaMalfa’s House GOP colleague from California, Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said in a statement, “Doug was not only a respected colleague in the California Republican Delegation, but a genuinely kind, decent man who treated everyone with warmth and respect. His leadership, friendship, and steady presence will be deeply missed.” The news comes just as House Republicans are meeting for an all-day policy brainstorming session at the newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump is addressing GOP lawmakers on Tuesday morning to kick off the day’s events.
Federal officials to halt more than $10B in funding to 5 states over non-citizen benefit concerns: report
The Trump administration is moving to freeze more than $10 billion in federal child care and social services funding to five Democrat-led states amid concerns taxpayer dollars were improperly diverted to non-citizens, according to a report. Officials reportedly told The New York Post that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will freeze funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant, affecting California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York over concerns the benefits were fraudulently funneled to non-citizens. More than $7.3 billion in TANF funding would be withheld from the five states, along with nearly $2.4 billion from the CCDF and another $869 million from the Social Services Block Grant. The funding pauses were expected to be announced in letters sent to state officials Monday, citing concerns that benefits were improperly directed to non-U.S. citizens. ABBOTT ORDERS COMPREHENSIVE FRAUD PROBE INTO TEXAS CHILD CARE FUNDING AFTER MINNESOTA SCANDAL A 2019 audit by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found that New York State improperly claimed $24.7 million in federal reimbursement for child care subsidies paid to New York City that did not comply with program rules. The audit attributed the overbilling to system errors and oversight failures – not criminal fraud – and state officials agreed to refund the funds and implement corrective controls, according to the report. Following the release of details surrounding the potential funding freeze, New York Democrats sharply criticized the Trump administration’s move, arguing it would harm families who rely on child care assistance. MINN. LAWMAKER ‘NOT SURPRISED’ BY WALZ ENDING CAMPAIGN, SAYS THERE WILL BE NO ‘STONE UNTURNED’ IN HEARINGS Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., accused the administration of using the issue for political retaliation and warned it would hurt children and low-income families across the state. “Trump is threatening to freeze child care funding in New York and targeting our children for political retribution. It’s immoral and indefensible,” she wrote in a post on X. “I’m demanding the administration abandon any plans to freeze this funding and stop hurting New York families.” Along with her post, Gillibrand also shared a public statement regarding the freezing of funds. HHS CUTS OFF MINNESOTA CHILD CARE PAYMENTS OVER ALLEGED DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME “My faith guides my life and public service. It’s our job to serve the people most in need and most at risk – no matter what state they live in or what political party their family or elected representatives belong to,” she said. “To use the power of the government to harm the neediest Americans is immoral and indefensible. “This has nothing to do with fraud and everything to do with political retribution that punishes poor children in need of assistance,” Gillibrand added. “I demand that President Trump unfreeze this funding and stop this brazen attack on our children.” The NY Post first reported that in December, HHS sent letters to Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey seeking information on whether billions in taxpayer funds may have unlawfully helped “fuel illegal and mass migration.” Those requests were followed by investigations launched by the Treasury Department and the House Oversight Committee into a growing fraud scandal involving several nonprofits tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. An estimated 130,000 illegal migrants were living in Minnesota as of 2023 — about 40,000 more than in 2019 and roughly 2% of the state’s population — according to the Pew Research Center. The state’s Somali diaspora exceeds 100,000 people, with most concentrated in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. The news on Monday came the same day Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he was dropping his bid for a third term as governor amid stinging criticism of his handling of the state’s massive welfare assistance fraud scandal. KAROLINE LEAVITT WARNS ‘PEOPLE WILL BE IN HANDCUFFS’ AS FEDS ZERO IN ON MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL Walz launched his bid for a third four-year term as Minnesota governor in September, but in recent weeks has been facing a barrage of incoming political fire from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and some Democrats, over the large-scale theft in a state that has long prided itself on good governance. More than 90 people — most from Minnesota’s large Somali community — have been charged since 2022 in what has been described as the nation’s largest COVID-era scheme. How much money has been stolen through alleged money laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing programs, daycare centers and Medicaid services is still being tabulated. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise to as high as $9 billion. MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL INTENSIFIES DEBATE OVER STRIPPING CITIZENSHIP Prosecutors said that some of the dozens that have already pleaded guilty in the case used the money to buy luxury cars, real estate, jewelry and international vacations, with some of the funds also sent overseas and potentially into the hands of Islamic terrorists. Trump addressed Walz’s announcement of leaving the race on Monday, in a post on Truth Social. “Minnesota’s Corrupt Governor will possibly leave office before his Term is up but, in any event, will not be running again because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” the president wrote. “I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of ‘SLIMEBALLS.’ “Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota, but others, like Governor Gavin Newscum, JB Pritzker, and Kathy Hochul, have done, in my opinion, an even more dishonest and incompetent job,” Trump added. “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Johnson insists US ‘not at war’ after closed-door Venezuela briefing divides lawmakers
A select group of lawmakers received their first closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill on Monday following the Trump administration’s weekend military strikes in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro — a meeting that quickly divided along political lines. The roughly two-hour meeting deep in the bowels of Congress featured top administration officials providing a classified briefing to congressional leaders and the chairs and ranking members of the armed services, intelligence and foreign relations committees. None of the Trump officials, who included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, spoke after the meeting. FETTERMAN DEFENDS TRUMP’S VENEZUELA MILITARY OPERATION AGAINST CRITICISM FROM FELLOW DEMOCRATS But a handful of lawmakers did, and questions still lingered about what exactly would come next for U.S. involvement in the country, if other similar operations would be carried out across the globe, and who exactly was running Venezuela. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said that there was no expectation that the U.S. would be on the ground, nor would there be any “direct involvement in any other way beyond just coercing the interim government to to get that going.” “We are not at war,” Johnson said. “We do not have U.S. armed forces in Venezuela, and we are not occupying that country.” “This is not a regime change,” he continued. “This is a demand for change of behavior by a regime. The interim government is stood up now, and we are hopeful that they will be able to correct their action.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast, R-Fl., echoed Johnson, and reiterated that the operation was a “specific law enforcement function that took place that took a significant obstacle out of the way for the Venezuelan people to go chart a new future.” NAVY SECRETARY PRAISES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S MADURO CAPTURE AS ‘MASTERCLASS IN PRECISION’ He didn’t expect further military action from the Trump administration in the country, either. “These things are done before breakfast,” Mast said. “They don’t do protracted war operations.” However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., countered that the lengthy meeting “posed far more questions than it ever answered.” One growing point of contention among lawmakers is just how directly involved the U.S. will be, given that Trump said that the U.S. would govern the country until a proper transition of power happened. Schumer said that the plan presented behind closed doors or the U.S. running Venezuela “is vague, based on wishful thinking and unsatisfying.” “I did not receive any assurances that we would not try to do the same thing in other countries,” he said. “And in conclusion, when the United States engages in this kind of regime change and so called nation building, it always ends up hurting the United States. I left the briefing feeling that it would again.” FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM TRUMP’S PUSH TO PUT US OIL FIRMS BACK IN VENEZUELA Schumer, along with Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., plan to force a vote later in the week on a war powers resolution that, if passed, would require the administration to get congressional approval before taking further military action in Venezuela. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that he was satisfied with the briefing and that “it was a very comprehensive discussion.” Lawmakers will get another bite at the apple later in the week when Trump officials again return to Congress to provide a full briefing to lawmakers on Operation Absolute Resolve. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, lauded the military for a “brilliant execution” of the mission, and noted that the region was better off without Maduro. But, like Schumer, he was still searching for the next step. “The question becomes, as policymakers, what happens the day after,” Warner said.
Walz’s lieutenant governor and progressive Senate hopeful slammed for leadership amid Somali fraud crisis
Minnesota Lt. Gov. and progressive Democratic Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan is taking criticism, including from inside her own party, for her leadership during what has been described as the nation’s largest COVID-era fraud scheme. Along with Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, Flanagan, who has helped lead the state as lieutenant governor since 2019, has come under fire for allowing the fraud scheme to grow during her watch. A Minnesota Democratic operative told Fox News Digital that Flanagan “could absolutely lose to a Republican given all the fraud that took place during her time as Lt. Governor.” “Today is the day Peggy’s Senate race effectively ended,” said the Democratic operative. FRAUD FALLOUT FORCES DEMOCRATIC GOV. TIM WALZ TO ABANDON MINNESOTA RE-ELECTION BID “Here are the facts: Peggy Flanagan was already a bad general election candidate, and this has made it even worse,” the operative went on, adding, “she owes the voters answers about what she knew and when.” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., whose district includes the Twin Cities suburbs, told Fox News Digital that “Peggy Flanagan is just as much of a failure as Tim Walz.” He noted that Flanagan’s primary opponent, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, “isn’t much better.” “Both of these candidates sat idly by while billions were stolen from hardworking taxpayers in Minnesota. And just like Tim, they ought to reconsider their candidacy,” said Emmer. Walz, who served as former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, announced on Monday that he was withdrawing from seeking a third term as governor in light of the fraud scandal. “As I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” Walz wrote in a statement. “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.” OVER 1,000 ARRESTED IN ‘MASSIVE’ MINNESOTA OPERATION, INCLUDING MURDERERS, RAPISTS, PEDOPHILES “So, I’ve decided to step out of this race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work in front of me for the next year,” the governor added. Flanagan is running to replace outgoing Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, who is retiring from the Senate. She has been endorsed by the likes of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Though she is considered a frontrunner, Flanagan’s response to the scandal has garnered criticism. She was recently seen on a Somali TV station wearing a hijab at a mall to signal her support for Minnesota’s Somali community as the federal government cracks down on the fraud scheme. This comes as more than 90 people, most from Minnesota’s large Somali community, have been charged since 2022 in what has been described as the nation’s largest COVID-era scheme. How much money has been stolen through alleged money laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing programs, daycare centers and Medicaid services is still being tabulated. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise to as high as $9 billion. In response to the criticisms, Lexi Byler, a spokesperson for Flanagan’s campaign, told Fox News Digital that “the Lt. Governor has made clear that the amount of fraud that is acceptable is zero and anyone who steals from taxpayer dollars should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law — which is exactly what’s happening in Minnesota, where 98 people have been charged and 62 convicted so far.” TRUMP FLIPS DEMOCRATS’ ‘NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW’ MANTRA AFTER WALZ DROPS RE-ELECTION BID Byler added that “what’s hard to take seriously is Republicans talking about accountability while Donald Trump has pardoned 27 corporate fraudsters and fired the Inspectors General whose job it is to police fraud,” adding that “Republicans are going to have to answer for that.” On her campaign website, Flanagan touts her record as lieutenant governor, including expanding Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave program and investments in education, healthcare and housing. The Minnesota primary will be on August 11. Fox News Digital also reached out to Walz and Craig for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Abbott orders comprehensive fraud probe into Texas child care funding after Minnesota scandal
Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter Monday directing Texas state agencies to investigate potential child care funding fraud, following a major Minnesota social services scandal that cost taxpayers millions. “Recently, the Trump Administration and independent journalists have uncovered potential systematic fraud in subsidized child care systems in states like Minnesota,” Abbott said in a statement. “Such fraud will never be tolerated in Texas. Today, I directed Texas state agencies to take proactive steps to prevent, detect, and eliminate misuse of taxpayer funds to protect the integrity of Texas’ Child Care Services Program.” Abbott’s letter was addressed to Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Jose Esparza and Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to lead the investigation. Both agencies have broad authority to strengthen fraud prevention efforts in the state’s child care program and regulate facilities. The agencies will have until Feb. 27 to submit a final report outlining how they implemented anti-fraud measures and investigated any potential misuse of Texas taxpayer dollars. HOW FEARS OF BEING LABELED ‘RACIST’ HELPED ‘PROVIDE COVER’ FOR THE EXPLODING MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL Abbott noted that Texas already has a relatively low “improper payment rate” of 0.43 percent, compared with Minnesota’s roughly 11 percent, thanks to the agencies’ strong anti-fraud processes already in place. While the agencies already conduct routine audits of providers and in-person visits to facilities, “more can be done to protect Texas children and taxpayers,” Abbott said in the letter. CRITICS WARN MINNESOTA LEGISLATION NOW TAKING EFFECT IS SETTING UP THE ‘NEXT BILLION-DOLLAR FRAUD’ HHSC and TWC will provide a progress report to the governor’s office on Jan. 30, followed by a final report in late February. “I will continue to work with executive branch agencies to fight fraud, protect taxpayer dollars, and promote accessible, affordable, high-quality childcare for Texans,” Abbott added. The move comes just hours after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced that he is suspending his reelection campaign amid allegations that the state attempted to cover up widespread fraud in his state’s social programs. The scandal, which emerged in early December, involved individuals from the Somali-American community accused of defrauding public aid programs. While the schemes began with the Feeding Our Future case, which reportedly exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the pandemic, investigators have since uncovered what they describe as a web of interconnected fraud spanning multiple sectors, including child care, Medicaid, housing and autism services.