CNN Exposes Tim Walz, Unleashes Scathing Report Over Major Scandals in Minnesota

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is facing yet another challenge, just weeks before Election Day, as a new controversy emerges.

Already grappling with the fallout from a lackluster vice-presidential debate against Ohio Senator J.D. Vance earlier this week, Walz now has more to contend with. CNN has revived concerns over his administration's handling of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, CNN published a report focusing on fraud that occurred during Walz’s tenure, describing it as “the single largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation,” according to the Department of Justice.

The fraud occurred through Feeding Our Future — a program designed to help feed underprivileged children. Instead of the $250 million being used to feed the hungry, CNN revealed it was misused to fund lavish purchases, including “houses, luxury cars, and a suburban bar and restaurant.”

As CNN highlighted, an audit showed that Walz’s Department of Education bore some responsibility, with the auditor stating that the “MDE’s actions and inactions created opportunities for fraud,” and that it “failed to act on warning signs.”

Minnesota’s Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth weighed in on the scandal, saying Walz was accountable for the issues within his administration.

“When he is not holding any commissioners responsible, then yes, Gov. Walz is responsible for the fraud that has been ongoing in the state of Minnesota,” Demuth said.

Between 2018 and 2021, the Department of Education received 30 complaints related to the fraud.

One striking example from the CNN report described how a food vendor, who in 2021 reported that Feeding Our Future had requested a kickback, was later retaliated against for refusing to comply. Incredibly, the state then forwarded the complaint to Feeding Our Future for resolution.

This wasn’t the only issue CNN exposed. The report also covered cases where unqualified workers received pandemic bonus payments intended for those who had gone above and beyond, as well as conflicts of interest in the use of tax dollars for mental health and addiction services.

This revelation is the last thing Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign needed.

Since Walz was selected as her running mate in early August, the media has frequently reminded the public of his ineffective response to the 2020 George Floyd unrest and his dishonesty regarding his military rank.

On top of that, Walz has failed to provide any meaningful rebuttal to these criticisms.

His debate performance on Tuesday only reinforced this perception. Instead of a strong, confident presence, he appeared “flat, wide-eyed, and frowning,” leaving the Harris campaign feeling like they are now stuck with an underwhelming candidate.