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Amid backlash over the wide-scale Minnesota Medicaid fraud scandal that has occurred under the leadership of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, some Democrats are dodging responsibility, but others have said Walz should be held accountable.
“I think any instance of fraud should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent, and so the federal government should play an oversight role in federal dollars,” Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., told Digital. “States have an obligation though to make sure that they’re administering these programs. Any instance should be investigated. Where there’s fraud, people should be prosecuted for that fraud.”
When pressed on whether he thinks Walz should be compelled to testify for letting so much money be lost to fraud under his watch, Olszewski said “anyone” involved in large-scale fraud “should come before Congress and tell us what happened.”
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Democrat Congressman Johnny Olszewski suggested Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz should testify to Congress about what happened with the Minnesota fraud scandal involving Medicaid dollars. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Olszewski wasn’t the only Democrat Digital heard from who suggested Walz should face the music, but others dodged the question and some pointed the finger at President Donald Trump and Republicans.
“It is not a partisan issue. I just wish that we could focus on really looking at where the facts take us and not have it be that one side is trying to fight waste, fraud, abuse, and the other isn’t,” said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., when asked if anything should be done to prevent such wide scale fraud – as was seen in Minnesota – from happening in the first place.
‘EPICENTER OF FRAUD’: MINNESOTA’S EMPTY STOMACHS, FAKE AUTISM THERAPY AND A SCANDAL THAT COULD TOP $2 BILLION
“There’s always a fraud issue. That’s why the Department of Justice had a huge civil fraud division that did a lot of great work, and that’s why we have [Inspector Generals] and the like throughout the federal government. The elimination of those, firing that cadre of people was one of the worst things the Trump administration could do if they’re serious about fighting waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md.
Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., speaks during a news conference with Free DC and members of the city council “to oppose Donald Trump’s unlawful federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C.,” outside of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, September 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Oh I don’t know that you need the governor to do it. Certainly somebody from Minnesota that has the best insight into what went wrong should,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va, told Digital on whether Walz should testify.
In a Thursday press conference, federal authorities in Minnesota announced new charges in the fraud scandal that has grabbed national headlines and spoke on the scope of the crisis, saying that it goes beyond what has previously been reported.
Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., is at the center of a widening scandal as federal prosecutors continue to unravel one of the nation’s largest COVID-era fraud cases. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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According to one report, Minnesota Democratic lawmakers received over $50,000 in campaign donations by fraudsters who ripped off taxpayer funds meant to help feed children.
Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
