Calls to hold Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accountable are growing after what independent journalist Nick Shirley says is evidence of massive fraud uncovered this week.
Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Tesla CEO Elon Musk are among the high-profile figures calling for increased scrutiny of Walz as accusations of widespread fraud mount.
In a video that has since gone viral, Shirley and his team confront daycare workers in and around the Twin Cities.
Shirley claims the operations were beneficiaries of hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds despite no legitimate business activity to justify the influx of money.
In one clip, Shirley and his team show an early learning center with a misspelling on the sign out front — "learing" instead of "learning." The clip caught the attention of Emmer, who has previously confronted Walz over alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.
"$4 million of hard-earned tax dollars going to an education center that can't even spell 'learning' correctly. Care to explain this one, @tim_walz?" Emmer posted on X.
Because the alleged fraud is centered around the Twin Cities' large Somali community, the investigation has stirred racial tensions, with some of those confronted accusing Shirley of racism for questioning them.
In another portion of the video, Shirley speaks with a man who says he has lived near a Somali-run "daycare center" for eight years and claims he has not seen a single child enter the facility since 2017.
Not to be deterred, Walz announced a new taxpayer-funded paid leave program this week that provides up to 20 weeks per year for parents to bond with a child.
Musk responded on X, calling Walz "a crook" and adding that the governor should be prosecuted.
Earlier this week, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced additional scrutiny of what he described as "massive fraud and money laundering in Minnesota's social services" under Walz.
"Whistleblowers have made it clear that American taxpayers were defrauded in Minnesota, raising serious questions about whether Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison failed to act or were complicit in the theft," Comer said in a statement.