Congress subpoenas Walz on Feeding Our Future documents
On Wednesday, the Education and Workforce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives issued a press release announcing:
Chair Foxx Subpoenas Walz’s Minnesota Department of Education to Demand Accountability in “Largest COVID-19 Fraud Scheme in the Nation”
“Chair Foxx” refers to the Committee Chairwoman, Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina). The subpoena was sent to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and represents at least the third attempt by the Committee to obtain documents from the Walz administration relating to their oversight (or lack thereof) of Feeding Our Future [FOF] and the federal child nutrition programs under their purview.
The subpoena applies directly to Walz and demands that he produce the requested documents (specified in fourteen (14) separate categories) by noon on Wednesday, September 18.
Several of the document categories refer directly to the ever-shifting, contradictory, and implausible explanations that the Governor has offered in an effort to explain how at least $250 million was stolen on his watch.
At various times, Walz has blamed the scandal on (Category 2) the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), on (Cat. 4 and 5) state Judge John Guthmann, and on (Cat. 6) the FBI.
As for Judge Guthmann, he took the almost-unheard-of step in September 2022 to issue a press release to correct the record regarding the lies Gov. Walz and local media told about the judge’s work. He wrote:
The [MN} Department of Education voluntarily resumed payments and informed the court that FOF resolved the “serious deficiencies” that prompted it to suspend payments temporarily. All of the MN Department of Education [MDE] food reimbursement payments to FOF were made voluntarily, without any court order.
Also back in September 2022, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported on Gov. Walz and his defense of the oversight. The PP reported on statements made regarding the FBI:
The state agency [MDE] contends its concerns weren’t taken seriously until it reached out to the FBI in April of 2021.
…
And he [Walz] said the FBI asked the state to continue the reimbursements while its investigation continued.
In her excellent and exhaustive June 2024 report on the affair, the state legislative auditor got to the bottom of who called whom first. She writes (p. 87) that it was the FBI that called MDE first, on February 22, 2021, proving that Walz again lied.
As for the USDA, the Pioneer Press quoted Walz in September 2022 as saying:
The governor said his administration spotted irregularities “very early” and alerted the USDA during President Donald Trump’s administration. Walz said he couldn’t recall precisely when he first learned of the suspicions.
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Walz said there “needs to be a review” of why the USDA didn’t take the state’s concerns seriously when it first sounded the alarm. The state agency contends its concerns weren’t taken seriously until it reached out to the FBI in April of 2021.
False again. As the auditor documents on page 89 of her report, on April 1, 2021:
MDE and the USDA Midwest Regional Office met about the serious deficiency process and notice of proposed termination.
According to MDE, the USDA Midwest Regional Office supported its decision to stop paying Feeding Our Future’s claims for reimbursement and indicated that MDE had the authority for this decision.
The truth turns out that the USDA granted MDE all the power they sought before MDE responded to the FBI.
Separate subpoenas were sent by the Committee to Walz’ Education Commissioner, Willie Jett, to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and to the USDA’s Inspector General.
In this case, the U.S. Congress is doing the work the state legislature is refusing to do.
The issuance of the subpoenas was widely reported in state and national media. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported:
In a statement, Walz spokesperson Claire Lancaster said the state “worked diligently to stop the fraud and we’re grateful to the FBI for working with the Department of Education to arrest and charge the individuals involved.”
Speaking of “the individuals involved,” eight of them appeared in federal court in downtown Minneapolis this morning. Your correspondent was there.
The occasion was a pre-trial hearing for the fourteen (14) defendants who are part of the Safari Restaurant group, captioned USA v. Aimee Marie Bock, et. al. Eight of the defendants appeared in person and one appeared via telephone. One defendant is an international fugitive and another has already pled guilty. The remaining defendants from this group were excused for the day.
Compared to the previous hearing for this cohort, held last month, a seating chart was instituted to streamline the process. I can report that, this time, all defendants arrived on time and in court-appropriate attire.
The first trial for this group is scheduled to begin in February 2025.