Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has formally referred Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Attorney General Keith Ellison to the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing evidence that both may have been complicit in large-scale fraud impacting the Somali community.
The move follows testimony presented during a House Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday, which Luna says demonstrates the officials’ potential criminal liability.
“Based on testimony today, I have enough evidence to believe both [Walz] and [Ellison] were knowingly complicit in a Somali fraud scheme in Minnesota,” Luna wrote on X. “Therefore I have referred them BOTH to the DOJ for criminal charges. May justice be swift. The American people are tired of being taken advantage of.”
The allegations center on Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit accused of misappropriating hundreds of millions in federal and state funds.
Witnesses testified that despite repeated warnings from auditors, whistleblowers and investigative journalists, payments continued under the administration’s oversight.
Luna highlighted what she described as a systemic failure to act, with Walz allegedly allowing fraud to expand unchecked.
According to The Blaze, Minnesota State Rep. Kristin Robbins (R) testified that the governor “willfully turned a blind eye to crime, in the face of countless whistleblower and auditor reports. These are actual crimes that must be punished. Governor Walz has known about fraud for years and failed to act.”
Ellison’s conduct was also questioned.
According to Luna, a recorded conversation indicated Ellison agreed to oppose the Minnesota Department of Human Services in exchange for political and financial support from Somali donors.
Luna argued that such coordination could constitute a violation of U.S. Code 371, which criminalizes conspiracies to defraud the United States.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has requested that Walz and Ellison provide documents, communications and other records related to the alleged fraud.
Both officials are scheduled to testify before the committee on Feb. 10, 2026.
President Donald Trump publicly addressed the situation on social media, criticizing Walz’s handling of state funds.
“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… stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” Trump wrote.
Conservative groups, including Action 4 Liberty, praised Luna’s actions, framing them as a step toward holding politicians accountable for long-standing abuses of taxpayer resources.
They emphasized that the DOJ’s review could result in federal criminal charges if sufficient evidence is found.
The case has drawn national attention, highlighting concerns over oversight and accountability for public funds.
By formally referring Walz and Ellison to federal authorities, Luna aims to ensure that elected officials are subject to the same legal standards as ordinary citizens.
Conservatives argue the action may also serve as a warning to other politicians that systemic fraud cannot be ignored without consequences.
As investigations continue, the outcome of this referral could shape discussions about transparency, government accountability and the enforcement of federal laws regarding public funds.
The Feb. 10 committee hearing is expected to be closely watched by both political observers and watchdog organizations nationwide.
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