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MINNESOTANS PLAY BY THE RULES.
Minnesotans are a no-nonsense bunch.
We wake up early to blow snow before the plow comes by.
We show up to work when the thermometer actively discourages it.
We wave to strangers, help our neighbors, and take pride in doing things the right way.
And yes—we pay our taxes. Not because it’s convenient, but because we believe in something bigger than ourselves. We believe that Minnesota is a place where, if a neighbor is struggling, they shouldn’t be abandoned. Where the vulnerable are protected. Where families can grow strong. We know that small sacrifices today will bring a better tomorrow for our children.
That is also the commitment between government officials and the people who pay their taxes.
It’s a commitment built on immense trust.
And this week, it was revealed that the Walz administration betrayed that trust.
Fraud Didn’t Just Happen—It Was Welcomed
Recent investigations have confirmed what Minnesotans have known for years: fraud did not simply “slip through the cracks.” Fraud flourished in a system where oversight was optional, and accountability was viewed as inconvenient.
Criminal networks didn’t stumble onto secret loopholes. They exploited a culture inside state agencies where whistleblowers were ignored, pressured to back off, or told that investigating certain groups might “cause tensions.”
We now know that:
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Massive welfare fraud schemes, including bogus daycare and food-aid operations, went unchallenged until federal prosecutors intervened.
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Housing Stabilization Services—predicted to cost $2.6 million a year—exploded past $100 million, driven in part by fraudulent claims.
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Even autism therapy programs were targeted, with millions billed for services that were never delivered.
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And in the most alarming twist, federal authorities are now investigating whether Minnesota taxpayer dollars were diverted to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
That is not a minor oversight.
That is a catastrophic failure of governance.
A Striking Reality Minnesotans Deserve to Understand
Immigration has been a rich part of American history for several centuries. Many have come through normal immigration channels, and many as refugees to escape civil war and genocide in their home countries. The vast majority of Somali refugees who have come to America over the past few decades are productive members of our communities. They are our friends and neighbors. They are important members of our workforce. They attend our schools. They are living the American dream.
Minnesota is home to 400–500 Somali nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS)—out of a national total of roughly 705. Think about that. Over half of all Somalis with TPS in the United States are concentrated right here in Minnesota. That’s not a coincidence. Something is drawing people here, and we know it isn’t just the weather and scenery.
What we’re seeing—especially through the House Fraud Oversight Committee—is a pattern. Every day, testifiers come before us describing jaw-dropping levels of fraud, waste, and abuse happening right here at home. And it’s not small stuff. We’re talking about the kind of organized schemes that have burned through millions of your tax dollars while the Walz administration looked the other way.
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NewsNation uncovered internal DHS warnings that were ignored for years.
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Newsweek reported massive welfare fraud cases tied to networks that flourished under weak oversight.
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Reuters just revealed that the U.S. Treasury is investigating Minnesota over tax fraud allegations.
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The New York Post quoted frontline social service workers who say Gov. Walz is “100% responsible” for the nearly $1 billion in state fraud.
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MPR News detailed housing fraud schemes involving federal charges and sprawling criminal networks.
- And City Journal exposed how Minnesota’s lax welfare system has become a magnet for fraud, with some cases even tied to extremist networks.
This is not normal. This is not sustainable. And this is not the Minnesota way.
Up in Northern Minnesota, we know what real work looks like. We know what honest living looks like. Folks up here still believe in the American Dream—the idea that if you work hard, take care of your family, and contribute to your community, you should be able to get ahead.
But that dream is being stolen from Minnesotans by a government that refuses to guard the door.
While everyday Minnesotans struggle to pay their taxes, keep their businesses afloat, and teach their kids the values we were raised on, the Walz administration allows a system to flourish where corruption is rewarded, and oversight is optional.
Our culture—the northern Minnesota culture of grit, honesty, faith, and personal responsibility—will not be erased. Not on my watch.
Minnesotans deserve leadership that protects their hard-earned dollars, defends their communities, and stands up for the values that made this state strong in the first place. I will continue fighting—loudly—until the fraud is rooted out, oversight is restored, and the American Dream is protected for the next generation.
Minnesotans Are Paying Twice
While fraud exploded, the financial health of our state collapsed.
We burned through an $18 billion surplus and now face a $6 billion deficit.
Schools are struggling, classrooms are short on staff, and test scores continue to decline.
Property taxes shot up by $1 billion in a single year.
Families feel the squeeze every time they open their mailboxes.
And through all of this, the Governor still calls Minnesota a “well-run state.”
I talk to Minnesotans every day—farmers, retirees, nurses, business owners, law enforcement officers. Not one of them would use the term “well-run” to describe our state government. They call it alarming. Unsustainable. Dishonest. A government that is out of touch with the people footing the bill.
This Isn’t Partisan. It’s Personal.
House Republicans spent years warning that lax oversight would lead to exactly this.
We pushed for audits, transparency, and accountability.
We asked the questions the Governor didn’t want to answer:
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Where is the money going?
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Who is being paid?
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Who checks if services were actually delivered?
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Who is held accountable when funds vanish?
We proposed guardrails.
We offered solutions.
We were told no, time after time.
Only after public outrage, national reporting, and federal investigations did the administration finally acknowledge the scale of the problem—and even then, they claimed credit for “stepping in.”
Minnesotans know better.
Cleaning up a mess they refused to prevent is not leadership.
It’s damage control.
The Choice Ahead
Fraud is not a political storyline.
It is a betrayal of every Minnesotan who plays by the rules, works hard, and expects the government to do the same.
In 2026, voters will decide whether to continue down this path of negligence or choose leaders committed to transparency and accountability.
You don’t owe loyalty to a political party.
You owe loyalty to your family’s future, your community’s safety, and your own ability to trust that when you pay your taxes, they go where they are supposed to go.
We fought for oversight when others ignored the warnings.
We demanded accountability when the Governor dismissed the fraud as “overblown.”
We listened to whistleblowers when they were pressured to stay quiet.
Minnesota deserves a government that respects its citizens and protects their tax dollars.
Fraud is not inevitable.
It is preventable—with leadership, honesty, and courage.
I trust Minnesotans to demand exactly that.
—Representative Steve Gander
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