The House Education and the Workforce Committee on Wednesday issued a subpoena against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, over a nonprofit in his state that has been charged with defrauding the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minnesota-based Feeding Our Future (FOF) has been accused of misusing $250 million in taxpayer funds that was meant to go to hungry children.
The federal government has charged more than 70 people associated with the nonprofit, and five of them have been convicted of fraud. The group allegedly submitted the names of fake children receiving free meals during the pandemic.
Education Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) issued subpoenas against Walz, Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong.
“Statements in the press by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executive officers were involved, or had knowledge of, MDE’s [Minnesota Department of Education] administration of the FCNP [Federal Child Nutrition Program] and responsibilities and actions regarding the massive fraud,” Foxx said in the letter to Walz.
The governor was given until Sept. 18 to provide documents and the requested information to the committee.
