DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ends reelection bid amid welfare fraud scandal

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ends reelection bid amid welfare fraud scandal | CNN Politics
https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/politics/tim-walz-minnesota-reelection

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Monday that he is dropping his reelection bid for a third term as criticism over a welfare-fraud scandal in his state intensifies.

“As I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” Walz said in a statement. “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.”

Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024, spent the weekend discussing his plans with friends and advisers. He met with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Sunday, two people familiar with the matter told CNN, as the Democratic senator considers whether to jump into the race.

CNN has reached out to Klobuchar for comment.

A deepening federal probe into a sweeping fraud scandal in Minnesota complicated Walz’s bid for an unprecedented third term. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but Republicans have sought to blame Walz and Democrats for the massive abuse of taxpayer dollars.

“For the last several years, an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of our state’s generosity,” Walz said in his statement. “And even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of the crisis.”

Minnesota officials have until January 9 to provide the Trump administration with information about providers and parents who receive federal funds for child care.

The Trump administration’s demands are the latest step in a yearslong saga that started with investigations into theft of government funds in Minnesota under the Biden administration.

In his statement announcing his decision, Walz took aim at President Donald Trump, accusing him of seeking to politicize the scandal by attacking the Somali population in Minnesota.

“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” he said. “They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors.”

Walz is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. CT (12:00 p.m. ET) on Monday in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Klobuchar, who was elected to a fourth term in 2024, is a former prosecutor. She serves in Senate leadership, but over the years has privately expressed interest in being governor and serving as a chief executive. She sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

I won't ever complain about accountability showing up in our govt. Walz being as defensive as he was vs this unfolding fraud was a really weird look.

Hopefully we continue going after fraud in our government, regardless of who is implicated.

Kinda expected. This one wasn't gonna get swept under the rug.

So far nothing has been shown to "sweep under the rug". But we'll see how it all unfolds moving forward.

Did not say it was. I'm implying that sweeping it all under the rug would be the only way for him to survive this.

It's scary that guy was picked as a VP candidate.

If he's involved, then he should NOT run for another term....

He did the smart thing. Even with no evidence he was directly involved in any crime Republicans would keep trying to indicate he was. It would be nothing but a constant distraction.

I'll be honest - I don't think any direct evidence is/was needed. When you're "in charge", and something of that scale goes down, it's a lose-lose. If he knew about it, he's damned. If he didn't, that may be even worse (and most people won't believe he didn't).


I think his initial response reinforced exactly what I first said above...

He had a perfect opportunity to say "Fraud is unacceptable at any level, we're going to get to the bottom of this!"

Instead: "White men commit a lot more crime - this is racist!!" That sounded (to me) like someone that thought if they scream the safe words loud enough, it will get swept under the rug.


Most of the party still clings to the "racist!!!" flowchart, not realizing it is effective with less and less of the populace.

He certainly didn't handle the situation well. But let's be honest here, claiming Republicans didn't use it as a weapon to further their "immigrants bad" campaign isn't true. And the immigrants they target and the immigrants trump claims are "sent here by emptying their prisons and mental hospitals" aren't white. Of course he supposes some of them are good people.

One thing I can say, trump says a lot of pretty racist things. Yet he never gets called out for it by Republicans. Yet when the opposition says anything like what you just quoited, they do.

That still doesn't make what Walz said right.

immigrants are not bad. Illegal immigrants are.

I don't know where it is all going to go, but right now it looks deep enough that real jail time is possible.

It's one thing if we were talking 5-10 million dollars or something like that. Still big money but small enough to explain it slipped through the cracks type loss. Not ideal, but believable. Billions on the other hand is hard to lose. That takes effort and cover up.

I don't think Gov. Walz is going to make out of office. He going to have to step down to concentrate on his legal defense.

What crimes does it appear to you he has committed?

All immigrants are immigrants. In case you missed it, many American citizens and legal immigrants are being caught up in ICE raids because they think "immigrants bad". While they used to have a reasonable cause to detain someone, now all it takes is the color of their skin. Pay attention.

It's not whether he's committed crimes as much as what he may be charged with. We're getting to the point where a lot of people are saying he was definitely aware of the fraud. Once people start talking, even more start yelling out loud... to try to save their own a$$es.

So...

conspiracy to commit fraud
wire or mail fraud
fraud by misrepresentation
welfare fraud
obstruction of justice
abuse of position

Are all on the table.

My question was pertaining to "What crimes does it appear to you he has committed?"

I understand you can charge anyone with anything. And trump is famous for "A lot of people are saying". It's becoming more and more popular.

While I have no idea if he is guilty of anything or not, I've seen nothing of evidentiary value to indicate he is. Thus far I have seen nothing to base any of those charges on but hearsay by those with political motivation to do so.

According to you and other left wing nutjobs.

Are you claiming U.S. citizens and those with legal documentation aren't being detained? And if they are being detained what other than their skin color and where they are is causing them to be detained? Stop with the weak one liners and try to address the topic for a change.

Face it, they're being detained due to their skin color and location and nothing else. The policy seems to be "You're guilty until proven innocent." Murica!

Do you actually have anything for substance to add this time Sgt. Shultz or are you sticking with "I know nothing. I hear nothing. I see nothing!"?

That's what I mean, your question implied that 'Peen thought he was guilty of something, sounded to me like he was just stating the obvious...

I don't care what Dems have to say. It is always nothing of substance.

So no, you have no legitimate response. Same as it ever was.

Sgt. Shultz strikes again...............

"I hear nothing! I see nothing! I know nothing!"