Vance refers Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota attorney general to DOJ for fraud investigation

The Justice Department opened a separate investigation this year into the Democratic governor over allegations he helped impede immigration enforcement.

Vice President JD Vance announced Monday that he is referring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison — both Democrats — to the Justice Department for a criminal fraud investigation involving social services programs.

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“Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimated whistleblowers, they must face justice,” Vance wrote on X, adding that his referral was prompted by a letter and a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee.

The committee’s report, published Monday, alleged that Minnesota state officials, including Walz and Ellison, were “aware of widespread taxpayer fraud in federally funded social programs for years” and did not take steps to stop it.