{"id":13354,"date":"2026-06-09T15:31:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13354"},"modified":"2026-06-09T15:31:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:31:50","slug":"vance-demands-justice-department-probe-of-minnesota-officials-as-white-house-presses-war-on-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13354","title":{"rendered":"Vance demands Justice Department probe of Minnesota officials as White House presses \u2018war on fraud\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER<\/strong><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Vice President JD Vance is pressing federal prosecutors to investigate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, amplifying concerns the White House will use a new Justice Department division to target political rivals.<\/p>\n

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Vance, who has been tapped to lead the Republican Trump administration\u2019s anti-fraud efforts as he seeks to raise his political profile as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, cited in a letter to the Justice Department a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that alleges Walz and Ellison were aware of pervasive misuse of government programs for years and let it flourish.<\/p>\n

The Justice Department didn\u2019t immediately respond to questions Tuesday about whether it would open an investigation. It was unclear what, if any, potential violations of federal law could support a probe into the Democratic Minnesota officials, who have characterized a separate Justice Department investigation involving state leaders as politically motivated.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Walz didn\u2019t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Ellison called the allegations unfounded and said there\u2019s no evidence his office ignored wrongdoing or failed to act as required by law. He dismissed Vance\u2019s referral as \u201ca political stunt from an administration that uses the machinery of government to target its perceived opponents while extending leniency to those aligned with its interests.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is deeply troubling to see official powers and public resources diverted away from serving the people and instead aimed at pursuing political adversaries,\u201d Ellison said in a statement. \u201cThat is not what government is for, and it diminishes public trust in our institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Vance\u2019s referral to the Justice Department\u2019s new National Fraud Enforcement Division marks an escalation in the Trump administration\u2019s stated \u201cwar on fraud\u201d in government programs that officials have said would not be political or partisan.<\/p>\n

The new division has drawn intense scrutiny over the potential for political influence given its close relationship with President Donald Trump\u2019s White House, which announced its formation in January and initially said its leader would answer directly to the president instead of the typical Justice Department command.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

In his referral, Vance wrote that officials in Minnesota or anywhere else in the country \u201cmust be held accountable\u201d if they facilitated fraud, prevented officials from stopping it or retaliated against whistleblowers who tried to report it.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMinnesota state officials are not above the law,\u201d Vance wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vice President JD Vance is pressing federal prosecutors to investigate Minnesota Gov. 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