Walz slammed: ‘Needs to be held accountable’ video shows seemingly
inactive Somali Minneapolis center received $4M in state funding
By Sophia Compton Fox News, December 27, 2025 6:58pm EST
‘FRAUD FATHER’: Walz BLASTED by Minnesota mayors over fraud scandal
Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy reveals a nickname for Gov. Tim Walz allegedly spreading around Minnesota amid the fallout from the state’s massive fraud scandal. Politicians took to social media Saturday to criticize Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after a viral video raised questions about a Minneapolis daycare center that allegedly received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing largely inactive. Responding to an X post highlighting allegations of Somali Medicaid fraud and voter fraud in the state, Vice President JD Vance described the situation as “a microcosm of the immigration fraud in our system “Politicians like it because they get power. Welfare cheats like it because they get rich,” Vance wrote. “But it’s a zero sum game, and they’re stealing both money and political power from Minnesotans.”
TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU.” Vice President JD Vance took to social media Saturday to highlight the allegations of fraud in Minnesota. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz be “held accountable.” “Folks need to be arrested and prosecuted and the Governor of Minnesota needs to be held accountable,” Lawler posted to X on Saturday. “Congress should hold a hearing immediately and start getting answers.”
A 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube on Friday by independent reporter Nick Shirley shows Shirley and another man visiting several childcare centers in the blue state, including a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. The footage shows no visible activity at the site, which displays a misspelled sign that says “Quality Learing Center,” even though the center is reportedly supposed to account for 99 children and received roughly $4 million in state funds.
HHS PROBES MINNESOTA’S USE OF BILLIONS IN FEDERAL SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDS AMID FRAUD CONCERNS: REPORT Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has faced backlash amid a massive fraud scandal in the state. (Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images Several other high-profile figures also weighed in on Shirley’s video Saturday Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X, “If you haven’t watched this yet. Watch it. All of it. Understand that this is what journalists are supposed to do, but no one in the mainstream media will even bother to look let alone actually publish it. This is what they’re doing to your country with your tax dollars!!!”
Elon Musk shared similar concerns, accusing the “radical left” of exploiting government programs to bring in and retain immigrants to “win elections and turn America into a single-party state.” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz be “held accountable.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)m”The more you look at it, the more you will be horrified at what your tax money is doing and the fact that, if this is not reversed, your vote will mean nothing,” Musk posted to X. “The most obvious case example is the Somali voting bloc in Minnesota, a state that historically had zero Somalis, electing Ilhan Omar to the US Congress.”
A day earlier, Musk posted, “Prosecute [Tim Walz].” The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at least $1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. A portion reportedly ended up in the hands of the Somali terror group Al-Shabab.Lawler and Walz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.b Sophia Compton is a Writer at Fox News Digital. Sophia was previously a business reporter covering finance, energy and tourism and has experience as a TV news producer. She graduated with a journalism degree in 2021 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
In his Democrat campaign speeches and during the October 2024 vice presidential debate as Democrat Kamalas’s pick, Tim Walz encouraged support for the daycare industry and emphasized the need for affordable child care. He views addressing the child care crisis as essential for workforce enhancement and family stability.
Key Points from Democrat Walz’s Position
Federal Assistance: Democrat Walz advocated for federal programs to help with child care affordability and accessibility, including support for paid family leave, citing Minnesota’s program as a model.
Industry Support: He stressed that it should be easier for individuals to enter the child care business and that child care workers, who are often underpaid, should earn a decent salary. The state of Minnesota has invested in grants to boost provider wages.
Funding Mechanism: Walz argued against using tariffs to fund child care initiatives, stating they would raise consumer prices and burden families financially.
Bipartisan Agreement (on the problem): While he and then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance proposed different solutions, both agreed that the lack of affordable child care is a national crisis straining American families.
Recent Daycare Controversy
In late December 2025, Democrat Walz has faced criticism and calls for accountability amid controversy and fraud allegations related to Minnesota’s social service programs, including those involving daycare centers. A viral video by an independent journalist raised questions about a specific Minneapolis “learning center” that appeared inactive despite receiving millions in state funds.
Democrat Walz has pushed back against some of the allegations and defended his administration’s record, stating that those who commit fraud will be prosecuted regardless of their background. State officials maintain that investigations are ongoing and reforms are being implemented to improve oversight.