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‘People Will Be in Handcuffs’: Karoline Leavitt Unloads on Tim Walz Over Minnesota Fraud
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‘People Will Be in Handcuffs’: Karoline Leavitt Unloads on Tim Walz Over Minnesota Fraud

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration has significantly intensified federal enforcement actions in Minnesota, citing what she described as years of fraud allowed to persist under Gov. Tim Walz’s leadership.

Leavitt said the administration’s actions span multiple federal agencies and include criminal investigations, funding cutoffs, and immigration enforcement.

“Governor Walz is completely incompetent. He always has been, and President Trump has long called him out for his incompetence and his poor leadership in the great state of Minnesota,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt credited independent journalist Nick Shirley with bringing national attention to the issue, saying his reporting played a key role in accelerating federal involvement. “I want to commend Nick Shirley for his incredible video in real journalism that went viral this past week,” she said.

“He epitomizes what New Media looks like and that’s exactly why we, at the White House, under President Trump’s direction, have embraced new media journalists like Nick Shirley.”

According to Leavitt, Shirley’s work has been recognized directly by the administration.

“We’ve welcomed them in to the White House press pool. We invited Nick Shirley to brief the President of the United States at an Antifa roundtable earlier this year,” she said.

Leavitt said the alleged fraud in Minnesota has been under scrutiny by the Trump administration since the beginning of the president’s term, but that recent reporting led to a surge in federal resources.

“This fraud in Governor Waltz’s state in Minnesota is something the Trump administration has been working on since day one,” she said.

“And since Nick Shirley’s journalism really brought this issue further to light, we have surged resources across the board to the state.”

She emphasized that enforcement actions are ongoing and escalating.

“So I want your audience to understand this is a top priority for the administration,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt said the Department of Justice is actively pursuing criminal cases.

“The Department of Justice, as we speak, is continuing to execute search warrants and subpoenas,” she said.

“People will be in handcuffs as a result of the fraud that Governor Walz has allowed to occur for the for many, many years.”

She also detailed Department of Homeland Security operations currently underway in Minnesota.

“The Department of Homeland Security is conducting door to door investigations on the ground at potential fraud sites,” Leavitt said.

“And they’re also, of course, conducting continued deportations of illegal aliens in Minnesota’s communities.”

Leavitt said the administration is also prepared to use additional legal tools when warranted.

“We’re also not afraid to use denaturalization,” she said.

“That’s a tool at the President and the Secretary of State’s disposal, and it’s one this administration has previously used before.”

She said financial pressure is being applied through federal funding restrictions.

“I know the Health and Human Services Department has also announced we are cutting off all childcare funding to the state of Minnesota until we get to the bottom of this fraud,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt added that multiple agencies are reviewing state benefit programs. “The Department of Labor is investigating their unemployment insurance program,” she said.

“The Department of USDA Agriculture Secretary Rollins, weeks ago, sent a letter to Governor Walz, demanding he turn over every single name of SNAP recipients on the books in Minnesota.”

According to Leavitt, those actions prompted legal pushback from the state.

“And the Minnesota Attorney General actually sued the Trump administration for that,” she said.

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One Year Later: The Results of Gavin Newsom’s Fast Food Minimum Wage Hike Are In
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One Year Later: The Results of Gavin Newsom’s Fast Food Minimum Wage Hike Are In

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Reason Magazine reporter Bess Byers outlined the economic consequences of California’s fast food minimum wage law while highlighting comments from Gov. Gavin Newsom defending exemptions built into the legislation.

The law, known as AB 1228, raised wages for fast food workers and created a new regulatory structure, but Byers said the results have included job losses, restaurant closures, and higher prices.

“What happens when the minimum wage goes up? Well, California is getting an experiment in that right now. Just ask Gavin Newsom,” Byers said.

She explained that the law was pitched as a way to ensure fast food employees were paid fairly but quickly produced unintended consequences.

“California wanted to make sure fast food employees earn their fair share, and that’s when 557,000 workers across 30,000 restaurants got an economic reality check,” she said.

Byers said AB 1228 imposed a government-mandated pay increase that moved hourly wages from $16.21 to $20 over three years.

“AB 1228, implemented a government mandated pay raise for all fast food workers from 1621 to $20 per hour,” she said.

The law also includes ongoing increases and a new regulatory body.

“The bill requires annual wage increases of 3.5% and creates a special fast food Council within the government,” Byers said.

According to Byers, that council has broad authority for several years.

“This council holds the power to set fast food wages until January 1, 2029 when the Council and its authority allegedly end, because government programs always end,” she said.

Byers also pointed to a long list of exemptions that shielded certain businesses from the wage mandate.

“If you’re worried about this impacting your favorite restaurant? Well, casual dining restaurants, buffets, smaller fast food chains, donut shops, snack shops, grocery stores, concession stands, most delis, restaurants within a grocery establishment, restaurants connected to an airport, hotel, Event Center, theme park, museum or gambling establishment and Panera Bread are all exempt from the law,” she said.

She described one exemption as unusually specific and said it was pushed by Newsom.

“Apparently, there’s this weirdly specific exemption for restaurants that sell bread as a standalone menu item if it weighs at least half a pound after cooling and Gavin Newsom pushed for that,” Byers said.

Byers said the exemption benefited Panera Bread and its major franchise owner.

“You see, Gavin Newsom went to high school with Greg Flynn. Greg Flynn owns the Flynn Restaurant Group. They own 2300 chain restaurants across the US and other second largest Panera franchisee in the world,” she said. Byers noted Flynn’s political support.

“Flynn has donated more than $220,000 to Newsom’s campaign since 2017 and 100 grand of that was to defeat the recall. So for some totally unknown reason, he really wants this guy in office,” she said.

When questioned about the exemption, Newsom defended it as part of legislative negotiations.

“I mean, that’s part of the sausage making. That was part of 257 the original bill, and there was part of the negotiation. It’s the nature of negotiation,” Newsom said.

Byers said the economic effects of the law became clear after it took effect. She cited comments made after passage of the bill.

“After the bill passed, assembly member Chris Holden said: ‘the rest of the country is watching what’s happening in California.’ And yeah, that’s an understatement,” she said.

She detailed business closures and layoffs following implementation of the law.

“One year after implementing the so called FAST Act, we are finally seeing its effects, and they are exactly what you would expect,” Byers said.

“Rubio’s coastal grill closed 48 locations across the state. MOD Pizza closed five and Pizza Hut laid off all 1200 delivery drivers,” she said.

Byers said the employment data showed significant losses. “In total, fast food employment decreased by 2.7% which cost California 18,000 jobs,” she said.

She added that remaining workers also felt the impact.

“Restaurants replaced employees with digital kiosks, and those who did keep their jobs saw their hours decrease by almost two months per year,” she said.

According to Byers, even mainstream outlets have acknowledged the negative effects.

“AB, 1228, is such a disaster, even CNN admits it’s debatable,” she said. She contrasted California’s experience with the rest of the country.

“Job numbers at the same time as Gavin Newsom’s California lost fast food jobs, the sector has grown in the rest of the nation,” she said.

Byers concluded that consumers have also borne the cost. “To be fair, though, Newsom is responsible for some exceptional growth,” she said.

“Fast food prices are up more than 13% since the law took effect.”

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Mass. Gov. Under Fire as Former Migrant Shelter Director Blows the Whistle on Cover Up
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Mass. Gov. Under Fire as Former Migrant Shelter Director Blows the Whistle on Cover Up

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A former Massachusetts migrant shelter director accused Gov. Maura Healy of presiding over widespread crime, financial waste, and systemic coverups inside state-funded migrant shelters, saying the experience was “the biggest mistake” of his life and calling for the governor to be held criminally accountable.

John Featherston, who previously ran a migrant shelter in Massachusetts, made the allegations during an exchange with Nate Friedman, describing what he said were unchecked crimes, taxpayer-funded waste, and directives from state leadership that discouraged law enforcement from intervening.

“My name is John Featherston. I’m a former migrant shelter director in Massachusetts. It was the biggest mistake of my life, the biggest mistake of my life,” Featherston said.

When Friedman asked directly whether he believed Gov. Healy should face prosecution, Featherston did not hesitate.

“I believe Maura Healy should go to jail for the rest of her life for the crimes that she’s committed,” he said.

Featherston argued that once migrants were brought into Massachusetts under the governor’s policies, the state assumed responsibility for their safety and conduct.

“Yes, the governor’s first priority is to protect the people. Once they came to Massachusetts because she invited them, she was responsible for them,” he said.

He accused the administration of concealing serious crimes.

“She’s covered up rapes, she’s covered up crimes. She’s covered up sex trafficking, she’s covered up drug dealing that we’re not even talking about the financial piece at its capacity,” Featherston said.

According to Featherston, financial waste was rampant inside the shelter system.

He described a facility housing roughly 550 people across 150 rooms, with four individuals per room.

Despite vacancies, he said the state continued to bill taxpayers for unused space.

“Back a year ago, I would have 10 empty rooms, but the state would still get billed $180 a night for those 10 empty rooms,” he said.

“They would still get billed for the meals in those rooms too.”

Featherston characterized the system as government-funded housing with no private accountability.

“So there is a tremendous amount of waste and or fraud, but this is government subsidized housing. There’s no other way to describe it,” he said.

“Your taxpayers, the taxpayers, are paying for everything that goes inside these four walls. So it’s not private property.”

He said public scrutiny intensified after disturbing incidents became national news.

“The fact that they’re this defensive a year after this has become like a national story, because a man you know, impregnated his own daughter, and these in the shelter, it’s quite obviously they got something to hide,” Featherston said.

Featherston described shelters as environments plagued by violence and criminal activity.

“So there’s a lot of domestic violence inside these shelters,” he said.

“It’s called it’s a cultural thing. A lot of Haitian men don’t have a lot of respect for women, it seems like. So there’s often a lot of physical violence. There’s a lot of women on women violence in these shelters.”

He also said prostitution and drug dealing were common. “So the police would come all the time,” he said.

“You know, when I had reports of like, sex trafficking, you know, they would come, you know, drug dealing, they would come. A lot of prostitution in that parking lot.”

Featherston claimed police were discouraged from enforcing the law due to directives tied to the governor’s office.

“I would talk to police officers, and I’d be like, Hey, I know this car is not registered. I know it’s not insured. What are you going to do about it?” he said.

“If it was you, I’d arrest you. If it’s them, I just let it go.”

According to Featherston, officers cited political pressure.

“Why? Well, the governor wants this, and the governor has come down and given us a mandate that, you know, we don’t give the migrants a hard time, and we don’t, you know, arrest them because they don’t have driver’s license. We just give them stern talking,” he said.

Featherston also criticized media coverage, saying the public has been kept in the dark.

“You don’t know what’s going on, because the legacy media is quite obviously afraid of the governor,” he said.

“The governor has told them, Don’t report on this.”

He said local outlets failed to report on conditions inside the shelters.

“You don’t see these stories by the local media. You only see them by the national media and guys like you, you know, doing the real journalism,” Featherston said.

He concluded by accusing state leadership of abandoning vulnerable Americans in favor of migrant programs.

“We’ve lost our way. We’ve lost our way,” he said.

“We’re not taking care of veterans. We’re not taking care of low income seniors, but we’re giving everything free to migrants.”

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‘Dems Are Literally Seizing Private Property and Violating the Bill of Rights’: Carl Higbie
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‘Dems Are Literally Seizing Private Property and Violating the Bill of Rights’: Carl Higbie

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Conservative commentator Carl Higbie accused New York’s government of effectively raising property taxes without legislative action by revaluing buildings, a practice he said has dramatically increased tax burdens for private property owners while allowing elected officials to deny responsibility.

Higbie said the tactic relies on reassessing property values rather than formally increasing tax rates, which he argued allows politicians to claim they never voted to raise taxes.

“New York socialist governance has raised taxes for private ownership over the last many years here in Manhattan, but very craftily, by raising the assessment on the building, not the actual tax rate, so they can go back on their reelection campaigns and say, no, no, I never, I never raised taxes on you,” Higbie said.

He described how the process works, using a hypothetical example to illustrate the impact on property owners.

“Here’s how they’re doing. Check this out. Let’s say your building was previously worth, I don’t know, $40 million, it’s a building in New York City. Okay, you’re paying taxes on that assessed value now, without passing a law or having a hearing or anything, some bureaucrat with a clipboard just shows up and says, Hmm, yeah, I think this building is now worth $80 million now your tax burden has doubled without them raising the taxes through the legislature,” Higbie said.

According to Higbie, the reassessments are carried out administratively, without public debate or approval from voters.

“But rather simple stroke of a pen in a dark office by somebody that was never elected,” he said.

Higbie argued that these actions are not random but strategically targeted.

“And they’re conveniently doing it to buildings that they want to buy. And by they, I mean big government, perhaps in districts they need more Democrat votes,” he said.

He contrasted what he described as Democratic tactics with Republican restraint on procedural norms.

“You see this game while Republicans, look the Republicans are out there. Let’s not break governmental norms like tossing the filibuster or something, while Republicans are whining about that, Democrats are literally seizing private property and violating the Bill of Rights so they can move voters into their needed districts,” Higbie said.

Higbie also criticized the broader tax structure in New York City, arguing that high taxes are used to fund expansive social programs while discouraging productivity.

He pointed to the scale of public assistance and local taxation.

“Districts and cities like New York, where half of New York City is also on Medicaid as well, funded by more taxes like the nearly 9% city in sales city and state sales tax or congestion tax or dog tax or income tax, or whatever surcharge fee or license they can gin up, paid for by people who do produce in order to transfer that wealth to buy votes,” he said.

He argued that Democratic leaders justify these policies by claiming they are necessary to address inequality, but said the outcomes show otherwise.

“But here’s the issue left. Just keep saying they need to fix, they need to do all these like social programs, in order to fix the inequity problem, or it will get worse,” Higbie said.

“The problem is they’re already doing this in places like New York, but then everything’s all just getting worse anyway, not better.”

Higbie said critics who point out these trends are dismissed rather than debated. “But then when I point that out, they’re like, You’re a racist,” he said.

He concluded by arguing that voters continue to support policies that drive residents out of major cities.

“And the majority of voters who elect people like ma’am Denny never stop to think, hey, maybe what Democrats are doing doesn’t work, and that’s why everybody is leaving places like New York. Nope. They never understand that,” Higbie said.

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Somalians Allegedly Placed Bounties on Nick Shirley’s Head After He Exposed Them
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Somalians Allegedly Placed Bounties on Nick Shirley’s Head After He Exposed Them

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Independent journalist Nick Shirley said he is facing serious personal threats after reporting on what he alleges is widespread fraud involving billions of dollars in Minnesota, warning that the backlash has escalated to the point where his safety is now at risk.

Shirley discussed the situation during an exchange with Donald Trump Jr., describing an atmosphere of anger and retaliation following his reporting.

Shirley said the exposure of the alleged fraud has enraged those who benefited from it for years.

“They’re so mad. They’re so, the Somalians are so mad,” Shirley said.

He described a sense of long-standing complacency among those now facing scrutiny.

“Because, can you imagine, for years you’re at the dinner table talking with your family about how everything’s good? Oh, we don’t need to worry, because the government and whatnot.”

According to Shirley, a large share of those implicated were receiving public assistance while also generating substantial revenue.

“I mean, 81% of these people are on welfare,” he said.

“But on top of that, they’re collecting millions of dollars for these companies, tax exempt, by the way, especially the daycares.”

Shirley said the realization that the alleged scheme is being exposed has triggered intense backlash.

“So can you imagine how mad they are now,” he said.

“Like, that’s why they’re right now, there’s like, people are so upset, like, there’s like bounties on me here in Minnesota, because people are so upset, as far as the fraud that’s being exposed.”

He said the anger reflects a broader frustration among the public as well.

“Because they know their time’s up, and they know everyone’s just sick and tired of this happening inside their own state and across America,” Shirley said.

Donald Trump Jr. asked Shirley to elaborate on the nature of the threats.

“What have some of those threats been?” he asked.

Shirley said the threats have gone beyond online harassment and raised serious safety concerns.

“Yeah, there was apparently, like, a bolo that they used,” he said.

“That’s the word that some people told me. It was on me.”

He said he has been advised to limit what he shares publicly due to the severity of the situation.

“And I can’t reveal too much because, just because I don’t want to reveal but, like, yeah, very, lots of messages, death threats, obviously, on social media,” Shirley said.

Shirley said the threats have affected his daily life and ability to move freely.

“And then just not the most safe thing for me to be moving around freely, right now,” he said.

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104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Sparks ‘USA’ Chants With National Anthem
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104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Sparks ‘USA’ Chants With National Anthem

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A 104-year-old World War II veteran brought an NHL crowd to its feet Saturday night after delivering a national anthem performance that turned a routine pregame ceremony into a moment of remembrance and patriotism, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.

Dominick Critelli, a longtime New York Islanders fan, took center ice at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, holding a soprano saxophone rather than a microphone.

Instead of singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Critelli played it, recreating a tradition he once carried out overseas during World War II, according to News 12 Long Island.

As the final notes echoed through the arena, the crowd erupted into sustained applause and chants of “USA,” a moment that was captured on video and quickly spread across social media.

Critelli later explained that the performance was not about personal recognition but about honoring the men he served with during the war who never returned home.

“That’s why I go to these places, I want to do it, I want to represent them, to do something for them. That’s all I can do for them,” Critelli told the news station.

Critelli said he has been playing music for more than 90 years. His military service, however, remains the defining chapter of his life.

According to the NHL, Critelli spent 151 days in combat during World War II and survived some of the war’s most dangerous operations.

He lived through the Battle of the Bulge and flew missions behind enemy lines, delivering critical supplies to American troops who had been cut off from support.

His service earned him the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, as well as the American Theater Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal.

According to the New York Post, Critelli was born in Italy, a background that gave him a personal view of the war’s consequences in Europe.

“I love this country,” Critelli told the outlet.

“If I hadn’t come home to this country, I’d be stuck with Mussolini,” he added.

Critelli now lives in Floral Park, New York, and continues to make public appearances to honor fellow veterans and fallen service members.

His anthem performance was met with an emotional response inside the arena, with fans standing, clapping, and chanting as he finished the song.

The tribute also appeared to set the tone for the Islanders on the ice. Following Critelli’s performance, New York defeated its cross-state rivals, the New York Rangers, 2-0.

The moment served as a rare instance where sports, history, and patriotism converged in front of a national audience.

For many in attendance, the performance was a reminder of the sacrifices made by members of the Greatest Generation and the enduring legacy of those who served.

TSA Whistleblower Claims Somalians Flew Suitcases of Cash Out of MSP for Years
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TSA Whistleblower Claims Somalians Flew Suitcases of Cash Out of MSP for Years

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A former Transportation Security Administration agent says she repeatedly witnessed suitcases filled with millions of dollars in cash being transported through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, raising alarms about long-running failures by authorities to intervene despite what she described as a clear and consistent pattern.

Liz Jaksa, who worked as a TSA agent at MSP for five years, detailed what she said were frequent encounters with Somali men traveling in pairs and carrying large amounts of cash through airport security.

Speaking with journalist Liz Collin, Jaksa said the first discovery left a lasting impression.

“Suitcases filled with millions of dollars of cash, and the couriers were always small. He meant traveling in pairs, and they got through the checkpoint. It just really, absolutely blew my mind. The first time you open a suitcase and you see millions of dollars of cash,” Jaksa said.

According to Jaksa, the encounters followed a consistent process.

TSA agents would pull the bags aside, open them in private screening rooms, and confirm the contents were stacks of cash.

Law enforcement officers would then verify identification, which Jaksa said created a record that could still exist.

“Typically, what would happen is Leo or a law enforcement officer would come check their credentials. I don’t know what kind of questions they ask them, but, but their IDs were always documented, and probably their plane tickets as well,” she said.

“So there is a trail of that out there, and I would believe, with all the cameras at the airport, that if they started there, they could probably find each and every individual that brought money through the checkpoint.”

Collin pressed Jaksa on the frequency of the activity, noting the scale involved.

“Obviously, this seems suspicious, if not alarming, given what seems to be a pattern here. So you’re talking about millions of dollars flying out of Minneapolis. And you think it it happened about every week or so. Is that right?” Collin asked.

Jaksa said the activity appeared routine. “So it certainly seemed like it happened every week,” she said.

“Um, the suitcases came in and it was, it was always the M.O. was always too. Somalian men traveling in pairs, um, sometimes they both had suitcases.”

Based on her years at the airport, Jaksa estimated the total amount of cash moved through MSP was staggering.

“In the five years I was there, I believe a billion dollars went through the airport,” she said.

Collin noted that the allegations went beyond cash alone.

“$1 billion as if this isn’t troubling enough. Liz, it’s not just money you watched leave. MSP, is that right?” she asked.

“Yes, that is correct,” Jaksa replied. She described a separate incident involving travel documents.

“There was another instance, again, a small man that had a carry on luggage filled with brand new passports, and he was allowed to get through the checkpoint. So where he went with those passports is anybody’s guess.”

Jaksa said she raised concerns at the time but felt the response was indifferent.

Reflecting on the situation years later, she said the broader fraud now coming to light made those experiences clearer.

“I didn’t feel good about it then and now. It certainly all makes sense,” she said.

Collin referenced reporting that linked Minnesota fraud to terrorism financing and asked Jaksa whether her firsthand experience aligned with those findings.

“Judging by what you saw for yourself during the time you were a TSA agent, do you think there’s any truth to this?” Collin asked.

“Absolutely knowing what I know now, absolutely, there’s no question in my mind that that money went to Al Shabaab,” Jaksa said.

Jaksa said the lack of urgency at the time has been difficult to process.

“Well, it’s been uncomfortable because at the time, seems so lackadaisical that these people could get through the airport with all that cash time after time after time. It wasn’t a one time thing,” she said.

She also expressed frustration with current state leadership, arguing that accountability is long overdue.

“It was frustrating when I was a TS agent, and it’s certainly frustrating now watching the state’s administration doing what they what they’re doing,” Jaksa said.

“You know, Walz and Omar, honestly, they should both resign and shame.”

Jaksa said she chose to speak publicly because she believes Minnesotans deserve to know what she witnessed.

“Because I think Minnesotans need to know that billions of dollars left through the airport, and it was it was cash, it was literally suitcases full of cash,” she said.

Asked what message she would send to state leaders, Jaksa said the situation should never have been allowed to continue.

“That this just should not be allowed to happen when they come through the airport. Absolutely should not be able to bring suitcases full of cash who goes with millions of dollars in a suitcase, week after week, time after time, year after year, and all Somali people.”

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‘Fraudsters Are Scrambling’ as Hundreds of Homeland Investigators Descend on Minnesota
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‘Fraudsters Are Scrambling’ as Hundreds of Homeland Investigators Descend on Minnesota

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Homeland Security investigators are actively uncovering widespread fraud tied to taxpayer-funded organizations in Minnesota, according to an exchange between Jason Chaffetz and Tricia McLaughlin that also featured a CNN clip involving Abby Phillip and Christine Quinn.

The discussion highlighted ongoing federal enforcement actions, criticism of delayed responses by state and federal agencies, and sharp disagreement over how the issue has been framed in national media.

Chaffetz opened the discussion by noting that further developments were expected and welcomed McLaughlin to explain the scope of the investigation.

“Tricia McLaughlin says there’s more to come, and she joins us tonight. All right, Tricia, thank you so much. What are the agents looking for and what have they found so far?” Chaffetz asked.

McLaughlin said federal authorities are actively operating across Minnesota and examining multiple types of organizations that receive public funds.

“Jason, thank you so much for having me. As we speak, our Homeland Security investigators, hundreds are on the ground. They’re knocking doors. They’re going to local businesses that are going to these sites where we believe that there is rampant fraud, whether it be day care centers, health care centers, or other organizations that take taxpayer dollars,” she said.

She added that investigators are encountering efforts to conceal wrongdoing.

“Our homeland security investigators on the ground are also seeing that these suspected perpetrators are really trying to cover their tracks. They’re trying to whitewash the operational facts on the ground, purporting to be a legitimate business have legitimate business operations when it’s all a Fugazi,” McLaughlin said.

She said investigators are continuing to coordinate with other federal agencies. “So we’re going to continue to ask those questions. We’re learning more and more, especially with the FBI and our DOJ partners on the ground.”

Chaffetz responded by questioning claims that federal agencies acted quickly, pointing to the length of time concerns have been raised.

“Well, a lot of this comes through Health and Human Services. And look, I understand that the assistant, whatever title he was, said, Oh, they’re taking immediate action,” he said.

“But to be honest with you, Tricia, this has been going on for years.”

He continued by arguing that responsibility ultimately lies with state leadership.

“To say they’ve taken immediate action that probably should have happened a year ago. This doesn’t flow through Homeland Security. It flows through health and human services, but ultimately, is the responsibility of the governor and the state of Minnesota,” Chaffetz said.

“But to say they took immediate actions, with all due respect, these reports go back almost 10 years.”

McLaughlin agreed that earlier failures occurred and said the current administration has moved aggressively.

“No, you’re absolutely right, Jason, either they’re culpable or they bury their head in the sand,” she said.

She pointed to actions taken since President Trump returned to office.

“But fortunately, President Trump, Secretary Noem, and the entire administration, this is an all hands on deck operation.”

She cited funding freezes and expanded law enforcement operations.

“You saw HHS freezing that funding, SBA freezing that funding. FBI is on the ground. We have surged hundreds of officers from Homeland Security Investigations,” McLaughlin said.

She added that enforcement efforts are already producing results.

“But if you rewind even a month, we saw that this problem was happening. We have arrested more than 500 criminal legal aliens off of the streets of Minneapolis alone.”

McLaughlin also said immigration-related fraud is being investigated.

“We have a wide scale investigation into immigration fraud with our USCIS partners, so the Trump administration is not resting on our laurels. We will get answers and accountability for the American people,” she said.

Chaffetz then played a CNN clip and asked for McLaughlin’s reaction.

Abby Phillip said, “This is an attempt to make this about Somalis in general, as opposed to just about the people who are responsible. It’s not really about the fraud.”

Christine Quinn added, “This is absolutely an attack on the Somali community and on immigrants writ large. Right to further say negative things and most, the vast majority, of the Somali residents of Minnesota are citizens. They’re not new immigrants.”

Chaffetz responded sarcastically, saying, “Yes, racism, Tricia, you know, just because it’s fraud, we should ignore it because, you know, they might be from, you know, somewhere in Africa.”

McLaughlin rejected CNN’s framing and said the focus should remain on fraud and misuse of taxpayer funds.

“It’s amazing to me, but of course, it shouldn’t surprise me that CNN makes this about race baiting when reality is about stopping fraud and abuse and being responsible for US taxpayer dollars,” she said.

She praised independent reporting on the issue.

“I think people across the aisle, Republican, Democrat, Independent, doesn’t matter. We should be praising Nick Shirley. He’s did courageous and really remarkable journalism, and CNN should have been ahead of this all along, as well as the rest of the mainstream media.”

Chaffetz closed the segment by thanking McLaughlin. “Amen to that Trisha McLaughlin, Thank you and happy new year,” he said.

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Tim Walz Scrambles as Viral Video Blows Open Minnesota Fraud Scandal
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Tim Walz Scrambles as Viral Video Blows Open Minnesota Fraud Scandal

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pushed back this week against expanding fraud allegations tied to state-funded programs, following the rapid spread of a viral video that drew renewed attention to suspected misuse of public money involving childcare and learning centers in the Minneapolis area.

The controversy intensified after conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley released a 42-minute video on Friday documenting visits to multiple facilities in and around Minneapolis.

In the video, Shirley and a Minnesota resident identified as David traveled to locations allegedly owned by Somali immigrants and funded through state programs.

According to the footage, several sites appeared closed despite posted signage indicating they were operating, while staff at other locations declined to participate in on-camera interviews.

One building shown in the video displayed a sign reading “Quality Learing Center,” with the word “learning” misspelled.

In the video, Shirley said the center was listed as serving at least 99 children and had received roughly $4 million in state funds.

The video’s claims and visuals quickly spread online, drawing national attention and prompting responses from state and federal officials.

A spokesperson for Walz addressed the allegations in a statement to Fox News, saying the governor has taken sustained action to address fraud risks.

“The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action. He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Walz has “hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.”

Shirley later appeared on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday night, where he discussed his findings and the response to the video.

He described the alleged misconduct as readily apparent. He said the situation was “so obvious” that a “kindergartener could figure out there is fraud going on.”

“Fraud is fraud, and we work too hard simply just to be paying taxes and enabling fraud to be happening,” Shirley said during the appearance.

He added that the public reaction has already produced consequences.

“There better be change. People are demanding it. The investigation have been launched just from that video alone. So there better be change, like I said we work way too hard to be paying taxes and not knowing where our money’s going,” Shirley said.

Federal authorities have also signaled increased involvement. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel announced that the bureau had surged additional personnel to Minnesota to examine how public resources were distributed.

Patel said the move was part of a broader effort to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”

According to federal investigators, as much as half of the approximately $18 billion granted to Minnesota since 2018 could have been lost to fraudulent activity, potentially totaling up to $9 billion.

Authorities say the alleged schemes span multiple programs and years.

As of Saturday evening, 86 individuals had been charged in connection with the fraud investigations, with 59 convictions reported so far.

Law enforcement officials have said that a majority of those charged come from Minnesota’s Somali community, though investigations remain ongoing and additional charges have not been ruled out.

The rapid spread of Shirley’s video has added momentum to the probes. By Sunday night, the video had surpassed 100 million views, according to publicly available metrics.

State and federal officials have said the heightened attention has increased public pressure for accountability and transparency in how taxpayer-funded programs are administered.

Walz’s office has maintained that the governor’s actions demonstrate a commitment to oversight and enforcement, while investigators continue to examine the scope of the alleged fraud.

Authorities have not announced a timeline for concluding the investigations, but officials have indicated that further developments are expected as reviews of records and facilities continue.

Scott Turner Drops a Truth Bomb on the Housing Affordability Crisis
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Scott Turner Drops a Truth Bomb on the Housing Affordability Crisis

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Scott Turner said weak immigration enforcement during the Biden-Harris administration played a central role in driving the nation’s housing crisis, arguing that the influx of illegal immigrants reduced housing supply and pushed costs higher for Americans.

He said restoring border security, enforcing fiscal discipline, and reducing regulatory burdens are key steps toward improving housing affordability.

“I’ll get to the root when you look at during the Biden administration and the weak immigration policies that impacted our country,” Turner said.

“Millions, 10s of millions, of illegal immigrants came across our borders unchecked, and that caused the housing supply to go down and the cost to go up.”

Turner said the combination of border enforcement and fiscal responsibility is beginning to reverse those trends.

“And so now you see, with secure borders, with our fiscal house getting in order, this is a step towards housing affordability, increasing housing affordability for the people in our country,” he said.

He said multiple policy options are being pursued to address affordability, including measures related to mortgages, interest rates, and regulatory relief.

Turner pointed to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s recent efforts as evidence of progress.

“I know at HUD, this year alone, we have helped over 1,000,000 first time home buyers through our FHA and Ginnie Mae programs at HUD,” Turner said.

He described that effort as positive news and encouraged Americans considering purchasing their first home to explore those programs.

“That’s some good news that the American people can celebrate, and also to be encouraged to look at FHA and look at Ginnie Mae if you’re a first time home buyer,” he said.

Turner said reducing regulatory barriers is essential to increasing housing supply and lowering costs.

He emphasized the need to cut red tape at both the federal and local levels.

“Cutting red tape, taking down burdensome regulations, not only from a federal standpoint, but also from a local standpoint,” he said.

He also cited an early policy change at HUD aimed at restoring local control over housing decisions.

“One of the first acts we had at HUD was taking down the affirmatively further and fair housing rule to restore local control,” Turner said.

Turner said those actions are part of a broader strategy to increase supply and bring down costs.

“And so these ideas, these policy actions that have been taken will continue to happen to bring down affordability and to raise the supply,” he said, adding that “many other ideas will be given to the President.”

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