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Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar Tied to ‘Biggest Theft of Taxpayer Dollars In US History’
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Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar Tied to ‘Biggest Theft of Taxpayer Dollars In US History’

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Federal officials say a sweeping fraud investigation in Minnesota has revealed what they describe as the largest theft of taxpayer money in United States history, involving more than $1 billion in public funds and at least 86 suspects.

The case centers largely on Somali refugee communities in the state and has drawn national attention following comments from senior White House officials and escalating questions for state and federal leaders.

Authorities announced that the suspects allegedly created or operated companies that billed Minnesota for social services that were never provided.

According to federal investigators, the schemes touched programs intended to feed children, provide homeless services, and support autism therapy. Officials say the fraud was carried out across three separate operations that submitted millions in false invoices.

Public records and photographs show that some of the individuals charged had appeared in images with Representative Ilhan Omar and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Both were photographed with Abdul Dahir Ibrahim, who was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on Friday.

Fox News reported that he had previously been convicted in Canada of asylum and welfare fraud.

White House Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller said Friday that evidence gathered by prosecutors points to significant failures inside state government.

“We believe the state government is fully complicit in this scheme, and we believe that what we uncover is going to shock the American people,” he said.

Miller also stated that prosecutors believe “the Somali fraud operation in Minnesota is the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars through welfare fraud in American history.”

Speaking with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Miller said investigators “believe that we’ve only scratched the very top of the surface of how deep this goes,” adding that the Trump administration is examining whether any of the stolen funds were funneled to terrorist groups, including Somalia-based Al-Shabaab.

He said current figures suggest that 75 percent of the Somali population in Minnesota is on welfare, calling that estimate an understated picture of the financial burden on public systems.

Following the revelations, President Donald Trump announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somalis, and Ibrahim was subsequently taken into custody.

Officials say he entered the United States through the Canadian border in 1995.

Seven years later, he was arrested for providing false information to police and driving without a valid license, receiving a fine and one year of probation.

Records show he accumulated additional traffic and parking violations over the years while repeatedly seeking asylum.

Court filings cited by the New York Post note that Ibrahim once listed his sister and her five children as his spouse and his own children as part of his asylum claim.

A judge rejected the application, citing his “complete lack of credibility.”

Despite a deportation order issued in 2004, he received temporary protected status for a decade.

The Department of Homeland Security stated Friday that Ibrahim “has been linked to Minnesota’s top sanctuary politicians,” concluding its announcement with, “Bye-bye, Abdul.”

Another individual tied to the broader investigation is Salim Ahmed Said, the 33-year-old owner of Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis.

Omar held her 2018 victory party at the establishment.

Prosecutors say Said took $5 million by claiming to have provided tens of thousands of meals to children during the pandemic through the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.

Authorities allege the restaurant received over $16 million for “phantom meals,” and say Said used the money to purchase a $2 million Minneapolis home and spend $9,000 a month at Nordstrom.

Federal investigators also linked Guhaad Hashi Said, a former Omar campaign staffer and community organizer, to similar food-fund fraud.

Prosecutors say he falsely claimed to serve 5,000 meals per day through Advance Youth Athletic Development and diverted millions into his own accounts.

He pleaded guilty in August 2025.

Said worked on Omar’s 2018 and 2020 campaigns and appeared with her in several Facebook photos.

Campaign filings show Omar received $7,400 in donations from individuals now convicted in the fraud scheme.

She returned the contributions when the case surfaced in 2022. Omar has denied any knowledge of criminal activity and is not accused of wrongdoing.

She previously introduced the 2020 MEALS Act, which expanded funding later exploited in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud.

Governor Walz has acknowledged failures in oversight during the pandemic, telling The Times that his administration “erred on the side of generosity” and moved money quickly to residents.

“The programs are set up to move the money to people,” he said.

“The programs are set up to improve people’s lives, and in many cases, the criminals find the loopholes.”

Walz has launched a task force to investigate systemic fraud and plans to use AI-based tools to detect suspicious activity.

“The message here in Minnesota is if you commit a crime, if you commit fraud against public dollars, you are going to go to prison,” he said.

President Trump, however, criticized Walz for allowing Minnesota to become “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” saying those responsible should be “sent back to where they came from.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also challenged the governor’s handling of state programs at a Cabinet meeting, saying that visa and benefit fraud rates show that “that wacko Governor Walz either is an idiot or he did it on purpose — and I think he’s both.”

Reports from the New York Times said civil-service reluctance may have contributed to the size of the fraud, noting that workers feared appearing discriminatory when reviewing Somali-owned businesses.

By 2020, Minnesota Department of Education officials were facing an influx of applications for new feeding sites.

As invoices rose, staff began to question claims that tens of thousands of meals were being provided.

Feeding Our Future, the largest nonprofit in the program, warned the state that delays in approvals for “minority-owned businesses” could result in discrimination lawsuits.

The state responded by easing approval processes, but the group sued regardless.

Despite warning signs, reimbursements continued for months before the scheme collapsed and federal raids began.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Dem Senator Blames Trump’s FBI for Arrest of J6 Pipe Bomber Taking So Long
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Dem Senator Blames Trump’s FBI for Arrest of J6 Pipe Bomber Taking So Long

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Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia drew new attention Thursday after questioning the Justice Department’s announcement regarding the arrest of the suspect in the January 6 pipe bomb case, only days after separate comments in which he suggested the military might “save us” from President Donald Trump.

Warner, the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, made both sets of remarks during media interviews conducted this week.

Earlier in the week, while discussing controversy surrounding a drug boat investigation, Warner said, “I think in many ways, the uniformed military may help save us from this president and his lame people like Hegseth.”

Warner did not clarify what he meant by the military “saving” the country or how such a scenario would occur.

His comments prompted criticism due to implications involving military involvement in political disputes.

On Thursday, Warner appeared in another interview following the Department of Justice announcement that a suspect had been arrested nearly five years after the pipe bombs were placed outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021.

Warner said the arrest was “good news” but questioned the response from federal officials at the press event.

“But I got to tell you, it kind of makes me — looking at this crowd, doing a victory lap, when all the senior FBI officials across all key divisions have been fired for political purposes, when in some field offices, up to 45% of the FBI officers who were doing things like counter espionage and cyber have been assigned to do immigration cases,” Warner said.

“It’s a little rich that they’re saying they [make] America safer. How much earlier could we have caught this guy if resources hadn’t been diverted?”

Warner’s comments prompted pushback from congressional Republicans, including Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who questioned why Warner did not account for the four-year period under Joe Biden’s administration.

The Biden-era investigation has been a point of contention, with critics arguing that other federal priorities were given precedence over longstanding criminal cases.

Questions about resource allocation during previous years were also echoed by federal officials involved in the current operation.

During the DOJ press conference, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino discussed the work that led to the arrest and contrasted it with prior approaches to federal law enforcement.

“Folks, this is what it’s like when you work for a president who tells you to get the bad guys and to stop focusing on other extraneous things not related to law enforcement. This is what happens,” Bongino said.

Bongino also addressed how investigators developed the breakthrough.

“We had a great team. […] It was not a new public tip this came from. This was our own internal work at the FBI.”

The pipe bomb case has remained unresolved since the discovery of the devices on January 5, 2021.

Federal agencies have continued to review surveillance records, witness leads and technological data to identify the suspect, leading to Thursday’s announcement of the arrest.

Warner’s remarks came as lawmakers continued evaluating the scope of the investigation and the federal resources assigned to it during different administrations.

The Justice Department has not commented on Warner’s claims regarding personnel allocation during prior years.

Jake Tapper Calls J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect a ‘White Man,’ Photos Tell a Different Story
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Jake Tapper Calls J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect a ‘White Man,’ Photos Tell a Different Story

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CNN host Jake Tapper incorrectly described Washington, D.C., pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. as a “30-year-old white man” during Thursday’s broadcast of The Lead, moments before his own program displayed photos showing that Cole is a black man.

“Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old white man from the D.C. suburbs, is charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and with malicious destruction by means of explosion,” Tapper said on air.

Minutes later, The Lead aired images of the suspect that did not match Tapper’s description.

Cole, 30, was arrested and charged in connection with the pipe bombs placed outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021.

Breitbart News reported Thursday that Cole was “arrested and charged with placing the pipe bombs at the RNC and the DNC on January 5, 2021.”

The report stated he was also charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and attempted malicious destruction using explosive materials.

Additional charges may follow as the investigation continues.

According to federal officials, investigators linked Cole to the scene through a combination of license plate reader technology and cell tower data gathered nearly five years after the devices were planted.

Authorities have been working to close the case since the discovery of the explosives, which were found the day before unrest at the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the arrest represents the culmination of extensive investigative work.

“Today’s arrest was the result of good, diligent police work and collaboration on a case that languished for four years under the prior administration,” Bondi said.

“The American people are safer thanks to this morning’s successful operation.”

The investigation into the pipe bombs has involved multiple federal agencies.

Officials have repeatedly described the devices as viable, and the case remained a high priority due to the location of the explosives and their timing on the eve of congressional certification proceedings.

Cole’s charges include transporting an explosive device across state lines and attempted malicious destruction using explosive materials, but court filings indicate that more counts could be added as investigative teams review additional evidence.

The error made during Tapper’s broadcast circulated quickly on social media, as viewers pointed out the discrepancy between his verbal description and the images aired shortly afterward.

Federal authorities have stated that additional investigative steps remain underway and that the case will continue to develop as more information is processed and reviewed.

Florida Sheriff Says Massive Drug and Weapons Bust Resembled ‘Breaking Bad on Steroids’
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Florida Sheriff Says Massive Drug and Weapons Bust Resembled ‘Breaking Bad on Steroids’

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Florida authorities announced a record-breaking seizure of illegal substances and weapons following an investigation into a criminal operation that Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey compared to “‘Breaking Bad’ on steroids,” as reported by Fox News.

The case centers on 26-year-old Maxwell Horvath, who is now facing a long list of charges tied to weapons possession and the production of illegal substances.

According to Ivey, the investigation began in September, when agents purchased illegal substances derived from kratom that contained 7-hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH.

During the controlled purchase, Horvath reportedly provided agents with a tour of his business, Overseas Organics, which authorities say was producing a substance described as 13 times more potent than morphine.

“He’s proud of his business,” Ivey said in a video posted to Facebook.

“This thing looked like ‘Breaking Bad’ on steroids. … He had it lined up with all sorts of different chambers and rooms and sterile environments. … They were taking [the substance], extracting it, putting it in compressing machines.”

Ivey said Horvath believed that shipping the product out of Florida placed him outside the law. “Horvath knows it’s illegal but thinks he’s circumventing the system,” Ivey said.

“He thinks that because you go there and make a purchase, or you make a purchase online, and he ships it out of the state of Florida, he is not violating the law. Well, trick or treat, he is.”

Authorities raided Horvath’s facility following the controlled buy and reported seizing roughly 92,000 pounds of illegal substances valued at about $4.7 million.

Investigators also discovered military-grade weapons and explosive components, including five IEDs, 12 rifles, 17 pistols, three shotguns, two fully automatic submachine guns, a short-barreled rifle and revolver, three suppressors, thousands of rounds of ammunition, grenade simulators, and fifty pounds of precursor chemicals used to make explosives.

“We’re not just talking about drugs,” said City of Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello.

“We’re talking about explosive devices, things that the military are utilizing and other countries are utilizing all over the world, to take out populations of people.”

Ivey said the operation represented the largest seizure of its kind in the United States. “This is what danger looks like right here,” he said.

“Everything that you see … is a red flag for disaster. … The guy was making his own suppressors, fully automatic weapons, explosive devices. This guy was either looking to engage in war or looking to arm and furnish to those that are. [He] even had a 50 cal on a tripod ready to do serious damage. … Those indictments will make sure that he spends the rest of his life right where he deserves, and that’s in prison.”

Horvath’s criminal history dates back to his first federal arrest at age 17. He previously served two years in prison and two years on federal probation for possession of an explosive device and MDMA trafficking.

“[At] 26 years old, [he is] already pretty much a career offender,” Augello said. “He has no regard for the sanctity of life.”

Fox News’ Heather Lacy contributed to the report.

Bongino Goes Hard Against the Prior FBI Leadership in Wake of J6 Pipe Bomber Arrest
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Bongino Goes Hard Against the Prior FBI Leadership in Wake of J6 Pipe Bomber Arrest

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Dan Bongino outlined what he described as deep failures within the FBI’s previous leadership and detailed the internal steps that led to the arrest of the suspect in the 2021 pipe bomber case.

During a Fox News segment, Bongino said the prior team had misused the agency’s authority and harmed its standing with the public, while the agents doing the substantive investigative work were left carrying the consequences.

Bongino said the issues began long before he took office.

“I don’t know. I don’t know what the hell this prior leadership team was doing outside of, you know, targeting political opponents, weaponizing the FBI, destroying its reputation, embarrassing agents that are doing really good work out there, catching terrorists, CCP, spies and everyone else. It’s almost like they were intentionally trying to decimate faith in institutions. It is horrifying. I don’t know what they were doing.”

Bongino described his first day in office as a decisive turning point for the stalled case.

“I can tell you what happened, though, when we got there, the director and I my first meeting, my first meeting, I swore in, and I kid you not, probably 15 minutes later, and the people who are in the meeting know I said, when I get in there, I want a full brief on this pipe bomber case on day one.”

After the briefing, Bongino said the investigative team had already done substantial work but had not been able to reach a resolution.

“And I looked at the case agent after getting a full brief of what they’d done, and they had done some pretty extensive amount of work. They had chased down, I think, 1000s of leads, 6000 plus interviews had been conducted, hundreds of tips, and it still was relatively stale the case, and I grabbed the case agent on the on the way out, and I said, you’re going to get me this guy, you’re going to track this guy down, you’re going to find him, you’re going to get me this guy. I want him.”

Bongino said that directive initiated a sustained push to conclude the investigation.

“And that started what was, what’s been almost a nine month operation right now, to make sure that we could get full accountability and transparency of the American public, and find this guy. And today, today, we did.”

He emphasized that the eventual success was not the work of a single office.

“But Sean, I have to add this, because this is really important. I you’ve heard all the cliches, team effort here at all times sports. I said it today at the presser, but I want to emphasize this. This was a team judge, Jeanine, Deputy Attorney General, Blanche, people, you and I know very well, ag Bondi, they you cannot do anything in the FBI without DOJ process, subpoenas, draw on paper, search warrants, complaints, arrest warrants. Who do you think does that? It’s not just us. We’re the investigators. They’re the lawyers.”

Bongino said the cooperation between agencies tightened quickly after he took office.

“So that team from day one, I told Pam and Todd, I said, Hey, cash and I and cash could not have been more supportive. He’s like, Dan, go for it. They said, Whatever you need. And their attorneys over there were amazing on this case. So it that don’t just throw the team effort thing out, like it just a standard cliche, I mean it. They really did a great job.”

Bongino concluded that the arrest was the product of sustained coordination and renewed leadership focus following years of limited progress under the prior structure.

WATCH:

Tim Walz is Big Mad Because People Are Driving By His House to Call Him Retarded
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Tim Walz is Big Mad Because People Are Driving By His House to Call Him Retarded

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday that individuals have driven past his residence and shouted insults at him after President Donald Trump used the same term in a recent Truth Social post.

Walz made the remarks during a budget meeting while discussing concerns about the reaction to the November comments.

Trump wrote on Nov. 27 that Walz was “seriously retarded” for failing to stop alleged Somali crime in Minnesota after a welfare fraud scandal surfaced. Walz told attendees at the meeting that he had not seen Republicans condemn the language used by the president.

“I’d never seen this before. People driving by my house and using the R-word in front of people. This is shameful. And I have yet to see an elected official, a Republican elected official, say, ‘You’re right. That’s shameful. He should not say it.’ So, look, I’m worried,” Walz said.

“We know how these things go. They start with taunts, they turn to violence. So, deeply concerned.”

Walz also highlighted what he described as the state’s financial position.

“The good news here in Minnesota is a budget that works. Smart budgeting over the last few years that led us to a solid position,” he said.

“We will tackle crime, whether it’s drug crime, whether it’s fraud crime, and we will do it based on the individual who commits it, not a generalization to a group of people.”

The governor addressed the fraud scandal in a Sunday interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” where he redirected blame amid reports that more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds had been stolen through various state programs.

Walz said during the interview that Minnesota’s Somali community should not be targeted in public commentary about the cases.

“I will note, it’s not just Somalis. Minnesota is a generous state. Minnesota is a prosperous state, a well-run state,” Walz said.

“We’re AAA-bond rated. But that attracts criminals.”

Reports have shown that individuals involved in the federal fraud cases include members of Minnesota’s Somali community.

City Journal reported on Nov. 20 that some of the stolen funds were routed to the Somali terrorist organization Al-Shabaab, citing counterterrorism sources.

The group is affiliated with Al Qaeda and has been responsible for attacks that killed Americans. Authorities prevented an attempted 9/11-style plot by an Al-Shabaab operative, who was later convicted in November 2024.

The scale of fraud has drawn criticism from government employees.

A coalition of Minnesota Department of Human Services workers said in a Saturday post on X that the governor “is 100% responsible for massive fraud” in the state.

The group alleged that Walz “systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports.”

The governor has continued to defend the state’s broader financial management while facing questions about oversight failures in multiple programs.

Further legislative discussions are expected as state agencies respond to findings from federal and local investigations and as lawmakers evaluate the effectiveness of current monitoring systems.

Socialist Mamdani Vows to Let Homeless Run Wild in New York City
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Socialist Mamdani Vows to Let Homeless Run Wild in New York City

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Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said Thursday that he will halt the clearing of homeless encampments across New York City, ending a policy that has been a central focus of the Adams administration since 2022.

Mamdani made the comments at an unrelated press conference in Manhattan, where he stated that all encampment sweeps will stop when he is sworn in as mayor in the new year.

“If you are not connecting homeless New Yorkers to the housing that they so desperately need, then you cannot deem anything you’re doing to be a success,” Mamdani said when asked about the Adams initiative, which has drawn criticism for failing to move the majority of affected individuals into permanent housing. He added that a new strategy is planned for his administration.

“We are going to take an approach that understands its mission is connecting those New Yorkers to housing,” Mamdani said.

“Whether it’s supportive housing, whether it’s rental housing, whatever kind of housing it is, because what we have seen is the treatment of homelessness as if it is a natural part of living in this city, when in fact, it’s more often a reflection of a political choice being made.”

Mamdani did not outline any specific plans for how he intends to address widespread complaints regarding the presence of encampments throughout the city.

According to 311 data, more than 45,000 encampment-related complaints were filed in the first eleven months of 2025.

Clearing tent settlements became a major priority for Mayor Eric Adams after he took office in 2022.

Announcing the policy that March, Adams said, “We cannot tolerate these makeshift, unsafe houses on the side of highways, in trees, in front of schools, in parks. This is just not acceptable, and it’s something I’m just not going to allow to happen.”

However, most individuals affected by the sweeps did not transition into permanent housing.

An audit released the following year reported that approximately 95% of those removed from the encampments returned to the streets shortly afterward.

The findings drew attention to the limited long-term impact of the initiative and fueled criticism that the sweeps did not address underlying issues.

City Hall disputed the conclusions of City Comptroller Brad Lander, whose office conducted the audit. In a previous response, City Hall described the initiative as “indisputably successful.”

On Thursday, City Hall spokesperson Fabien Levy reiterated that position.

“Cherry-picking numbers and sharing them out of context paint a disingenuous picture as these cleanups have actually connected more than 500 New Yorkers to safe, stable housing,” Levy said.

Levy added, “New York City continues to have the lowest rate of unsheltered homelessness of any major city in the nation.”

Mamdani’s announcement signals a significant change in approach for the incoming administration.

His comments indicate that his policies will shift focus from dismantling encampments to increasing pathways into various forms of housing, though the details of those plans remain unspecified.

His administration will inherit ongoing concerns from residents, business owners and city officials regarding the prevalence of encampments and the challenges associated with long-term housing solutions.

J6 Pipe Bomber Suspect Brian Cole Details Emerge, Raise Massive Cover-Up Questions
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J6 Pipe Bomber Suspect Brian Cole Details Emerge, Raise Massive Cover-Up Questions

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The suspect accused of planting two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, has been identified as Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Virginia, according to two sources briefed on the arrest.

Cole, 30, is in FBI custody following nearly five years of investigation and is charged with use of an explosive device, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday.

The FBI took Cole into custody in northern Virginia.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday in Washington, D.C. Authorities have not released additional details, but a federal law enforcement source told Fox that agents are carrying out “court-enforced activity” at Cole’s residence.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington describes Cole as 5 feet 6 inches tall and wearing corrective eyeglasses.

He resides in a single-family home with his mother and other relatives and works in the office of a bail bondsman in northern Virginia.


The complaint does not identify which bail bondsman employs him.

Cole’s step-grandfather, Earl Donnette, told NBC News in a phone call that he spoke with the FBI about his step-grandson but declined to comment further.

Bondi said the investigation into the attempted bombing “languished” for four years under Joe Biden’s administration.

“The FBI, along with U.S. Attorney Piro and all of our prosecutors, have worked tirelessly for months, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years. Let me be clear there was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Bondi said.

FBI Director Kash Patel credited the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro for their work on the investigation.

Authorities discovered the pipe bombs near the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters around the time thousands of protesters nearby began moving toward the Capitol over the 2020 election results.

Neither device detonated, but investigators determined that both were viable and dangerous.

Video footage released by the FBI showed the suspect placing the devices near the two headquarters more than 16 hours before law enforcement located them.

The individual seen in the footage wore a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a mask, glasses and gloves.

Cole’s identity remained unknown for years as federal authorities reviewed evidence connected to the devices and the scene.

The arrest ends a lengthy search that spanned multiple agencies and involved extensive review of surveillance video, interviews and forensic analysis.

Federal officials have not released information regarding potential motives, and court filings so far outline only Cole’s physical description, residence and employment details.

Cole will face the initial proceedings of the federal case in Washington, where further information related to the charges and the evidence is expected to be presented.

GOP Presses Maryland for Explanation After ICE-Arrested Superintendent Found Registered
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GOP Presses Maryland for Explanation After ICE-Arrested Superintendent Found Registered

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Maryland’s voter registration system is facing renewed scrutiny after House Republicans learned that Ian Andre Roberts — an illegal immigrant and former superintendent of the Des Moines, Iowa, public school system — was registered to vote in Maryland despite lacking U.S. citizenship, as reported by Fox News.

Roberts, originally from Guyana, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in September and later found to have a lengthy criminal history dating back to the 1990s.

House Committee on House Administration Chair Bryan Steil of Wisconsin and Vice Chair Laurel Lee of Florida sent a letter Thursday to Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis, demanding answers about how Roberts became registered.

The committee, which has oversight authority regarding federal election law, outlined 10 specific inquiries related to Maryland’s voter-roll vetting procedures and the prevalence of noncitizens appearing on the rolls.

“The Committee is concerned about the integrity and accuracy of Maryland’s citizenship verification processes, and therefore the state’s voter rolls,” Steil and Lee wrote.

Among their questions: “Is Roberts still a registered voter in Maryland?“

“Has Mr. Roberts ever voted in Maryland? If yes, what election(s) did he participate in?” and “How does the State Board of Elections fulfill their obligations under 52 U.S.C. §20507 to conduct a general program to remove ineligible voters from the rolls?”

Roberts worked for Baltimore City Schools from 2001 to 2010 in several positions, including teacher and principal.

Despite leaving Maryland more than a decade ago, he remained registered to vote in the state. It is illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal or state elections.

Public revelations about his voter registration intensified in November, when a Maryland county board of elections released heavily redacted voter documents that concealed how Roberts answered the citizenship question — prompting challenges from conservative groups.

Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) pressed for full disclosure, and the county later released unredacted documents showing Roberts had falsely stated he was a U.S. citizen.

“When election officials attempt to hide eligibility records, the public loses the ability to verify that the law is being followed,” RITE CEO Justin Riemer said.

“Once the records were produced, we saw just how weak Maryland’s safeguards really are.”

Maryland is facing additional pressure from federal authorities. Earlier in December, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sued Maryland and five other states for failing to produce statewide voter registration lists upon request.

Republican state delegate Matt Morgan, chair of the Maryland Freedom Caucus, said Roberts’ case proves a recurring problem.

“For years, we’ve heard dismissals that non-citizens voting ‘never happens,’ yet Ian Andra Roberts’ story is irrefutable proof to the contrary,” Morgan said.

The Maryland State Board of Elections told Fox News Digital that the redaction issue had been corrected and that the board follows state and federal disclosure requirements.

Administrator Wendy Honesty-Bey said the board complied after legal review determined that some information could not be withheld.

Roberts’ arrest in September revealed additional concerns. DHS said he attempted to flee law enforcement and was carrying $3,000 in cash, a Glock 9 mm pistol, and a hunting knife.

He was charged Oct. 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

His criminal record includes charges for narcotics possession with intent to sell in New York in 1996, a 1998 vehicle charge in Queens, a 2012 reckless driving conviction in Maryland, weapons charges in 2020, and a 2022 conviction for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania.

Following his arrest, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his license, and the district that hired him is suing the executive search firm involved in his recruitment.

Roberts’ attorney previously said he is reviewing all allegations to determine their accuracy.

Million Pension Program Questioned Again After Exits of Pelosi, Greene
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$38 Million Pension Program Questioned Again After Exits of Pelosi, Greene

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The decisions by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Pelosi of California to retire from Congress have focused new attention on the taxpayer-funded pension system available to former lawmakers — a program that cost roughly $38 million in 2022 alone, according to Congressional Research Services, as reported by The New York Post.

Greene and Pelosi are among a record number of lawmakers leaving office next year. Their departure dates also highlight how the system functions and how lawmakers qualify.

Under federal law, members of Congress become eligible for annual pension benefits only after completing five full years of service.

Jul 15, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention. The RNC kicked off the first day of the convention with the roll call vote of the states. Mandatory Credit: Mike Desisti-USA TODAY

Demian Brady, vice president of research for the National Taxpayer Union Foundation, noted that Greene, who began serving on Jan. 3, 2021, and will leave office on Jan. 5, 2026, selected a retirement date that gives her just enough time to meet the vesting requirement.

“I can’t read her mind, but it certainly seems as if it was timed to make sure she got vested,” Brady said. He added, “She wasn’t in there for very long. So it’s not a huge pension, but it’s a little extra that she’s going to get.”

Using the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) formula, Brady estimated that Greene will begin receiving $8,717 per year at age 62. Based on actuarial projections, her total lifetime pension payouts could exceed $265,000.

Pelosi, who entered the House before reforms made congressional pensions less generous, will receive a far larger annual amount. Brady described her expected pension as “one of the most substantial” in FERS.

After nearly 40 years in Congress — including serving as House speaker — Pelosi is estimated to begin collecting $107,860 per year in 2027.

Sep 21, 2022; Washington, D.C., USA; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a memorial service for the late Queen Elizabeth II at Washington National Cathedral Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Josh Morgan-USA TODAY

The broader system includes two pension tracks: FERS, which covers members who entered service after 1984, and the older Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), now closed to new lawmakers.

In 2022, former members collected an average of $45,276 under FERS, while 261 remaining CSRS enrollees received an average of $84,504. In 2018, with more CSRS participants still active, total pension payouts exceeded $53 million.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a longtime advocate for ending congressional pensions, defended Greene’s participation in the program while pushing for reform.

“Senators can opt out of paying into FERS but Representatives may not,” Massie said.

“So Representative Greene was unable to decline participation in FERS. If a member is required to pay into the program, they should be able to receive it.”

Massie said he plans to “reintroduce soon” legislation to eliminate House eligibility for FERS and to make participation optional.

He argued that members of Congress should save for retirement the same way private-sector workers do.

“If congressmen want to save for retirement, they should do so with 401(k)-type plans, rather than rely on taxpayers to take care of them even after leaving Congress,” Massie said.

“To tackle out-of-control federal spending, Congress must lead by example by ending defined-benefit pensions for Members of Congress.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who served in Congress beginning in 2013, publicly declined his own eligibility at the time and reasserted his position following Greene’s announcement.

“I didn’t run for Congress for the perks,” he said in 2013. Last week he reiterated on X, “The important thing is to reform the system for everyone, namely, by ending congressional pensions.”

DeSantis also highlighted that lawmakers receive retirement benefits through the Thrift Savings Plan.

“How many private sector workers get a pension and a 401k? End Pensions in Congress,” he wrote. He added that his earlier legislation to eliminate pensions “did not get a terribly warm reception among the members.”

Brady said the biggest obstacle to reform remains the lawmakers themselves. “I think the big roadblock are career politicians,” he told The Post.

With decades spent in public office, he said many intend to keep the pension benefits.

He noted that while Greene’s retirement date may not directly advance reform efforts, it has “raised a lot of awareness” about how the program operates.

Greene and Pelosi did not respond to requests for comment.


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