The Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, announced on Wednesday that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and State Attorney General Keith Ellison will testify next month as part of a congressional investigation into a large-scale welfare fraud scandal in the state.
According to a report by Fox News on Friday, Walz and Ellison will testify at a hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. on March 4th Eastern Time. The hearing, titled “Minnesota Federal Funding Fraud and Abuse Oversight: Part Two,” will be conducted by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Both individuals have confirmed their voluntary attendance at the March hearing.
The House Oversight Committee stated that the purpose of the hearing is to further examine the use of federal funds in Minnesota’s social services system.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota has previously stated that the welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota could involve as much as $9 billion in taxpayer funds.
In a press release, Comer said, “Americans deserve answers about the serious misuse of taxpayer funds in Minnesota’s social services programs, which occurred under Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison.”
“The House Oversight Committee has recently heard sworn testimony from Minnesota lawmakers, who have indicated that Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison failed to take action to stop this widespread fraud and retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns.”
Comer added, “We look forward to questioning Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison after they are sworn in to ensure transparency and accountability for the American people, and to push for solutions to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and impose stricter penalties on those defrauding taxpayers.”
The House Oversight Committee initiated this investigation in December 2025, following revelations by federal prosecutors of widespread fraud and money laundering in Minnesota’s social services system.
The Committee alleges that criminals siphoned an estimated $9 billion of taxpayer funds through various charitable and welfare schemes, such as feeding programs for children, support for autistic children, housing assistance for low-income and disabled Americans, and Medicaid healthcare subsidies for vulnerable recipients.
As part of the investigation, Comer has requested documents and communications related to the alleged fraud from Walz and Ellison. He has also asked the Treasury Department for all relevant Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and has ordered interviews with current and former Minnesota officials. These interviews are scheduled to conclude in February.
On January 7th, the Oversight Committee held the first hearing in this series, where Minnesota lawmakers testified about long-standing warnings ignored and systemic failures.
Governor Walz was the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 2024. He has become a public figure representing the fraud scandal that unfolded during his tenure. Walz announced this week that he will not seek reelection.
Last June, he testified before Comer’s committee along with other Democratic governors to discuss collaboration issues between states and the federal immigration enforcement agency.
Ellison, a former Democratic congressman, has come under scrutiny for his role in this fraud scandal and alleged lack of oversight. In 2021, audio recordings surfaced of Ellison meeting with members of the Somali community, some of whom were later convicted of defrauding millions of taxpayer dollars.