During a recent campaign event in Minnesota, Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth challenged Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Klobuchar on her handling of the state’s massive fraud scandal. Demuth noted that Klobuchar’s Senate office issued more than 1,000 press releases from January 2022 through December 2025, yet none referenced the $250 million “Feeding Our Future” program or the broader social‑services fraud investigation that prosecutors say could exceed $9 billion.
Press‑release review finds no mention of scandal
Fox News Digital examined a random sample of 1,000 official releases from Klobuchar’s office. The review found no use of terms such as “Minnesota fraud,” “social services fraud,” “Medicaid fraud,” “autism fraud,” “Housing Stabilization Services,” “child nutrition fraud,” “DHS fraud” or “nonprofit fraud.” The only fraud‑related releases referenced other types of fraud, but not the ongoing investigation into the Feeding Our Future program.
Demuth’s criticism and political context
Demuth told Fox News Digital, “As the scandal unfolded, the absent voice I was noticing was Senator Klobuchar. She could have held hearings, but she did not. The hearing that did take place about fraud in Minnesota, she didn’t even attend.” She added that Klobuchar’s long tenure in the Senate should have given her the opportunity to address the theft of taxpayer dollars.
During a speech unveiling her own fraud‑prevention plan, Demuth posted on X, “Billions of our tax dollars stolen. It’s time for change,” positioning herself as a longtime fighter against waste and abuse.
Klobuchar’s campaign response
Klobuchar has centered fraud‑prevention in her gubernatorial campaign, releasing a television ad that promises a statewide audit on her first day in office to “root out waste, fraud, and abuse.” She posted on X, “It’s time for results, not excuses.” However, the campaign has not provided a specific record of actions taken on the Feeding Our Future scandal.
Broader political implications
The criticism comes as Governor Tim Walz, who withdrew from the 2026 gubernatorial race amid the scandal, leaves the field open. Klobuchar remains the Democratic frontrunner, while Demuth and other Republican candidates, including Senate hopeful Michele Tafoya, argue that voters are eager for a candidate with a proven track record of combating fraud.
Demuth highlighted her own efforts since becoming House Speaker in 2025, noting the creation of the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee to keep fraud prevention front and center in the legislature.
Campaigns seek answers from voters
Both candidates are urging Minnesotans to consider who will best protect taxpayer dollars. Demuth asked, “Who are Minnesotans going to trust for their next governor? Someone who only now talks about fraud because they are running for office, or someone who has been fighting fraud this entire time?” Klobuchar’s campaign has not yet responded to the specific questions about her Senate record on the scandal.
Fox News Digital reached out to Klobuchar’s campaign for comment; a response was not received at the time of publication.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
