Sen. Josh Hawley confronted Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, accusing him of accepting campaign donations from individuals linked to a major fraud scheme and failing to act on whistleblower warnings, as reported by The New York Post.
The exchange centered on the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, a scheme that prosecutors have said siphoned off approximately $250 million in taxpayer funds.
Hawley referenced reporting from The New York Post detailing $10,000 in campaign contributions from individuals tied to the scandal.
Here’s What They’re Not Telling You About Your Retirement
“You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion — and you got a campaign contribution out of it,” Hawley said. “You ought to be indicted.”
Hawley pressed Ellison on where the allegedly stolen funds ended up.
“Do you know where it went? What it was used for — the fraudulent money? I do, because we just heard testimony about it yesterday … hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorists … international criminal organizations, to the drug trade, to drug trafficking, to child trafficking,” Hawley continued.
“You took $10,000,” Hawley said.
This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year
“That’s a lie,” Ellison responded.
Hawley attempted to cite whistleblower concerns dating back several years.
“As early as 2019, a whistleblower—” Hawley began before Ellison interrupted him. Hawley replied, “Don’t talk over me. … It’s my hearing, pal.”
“Don’t call me ‘pal,’” Ellison responded.
“Well, I should call you a prisoner because you ought to be in jail,” Hawley said.
“Whistleblowers came to you in your office and referred to you fraud allegations from Feeding Our Future, and you blew them off. Listen to your own state newspaper.”
“That’s a lie,” Ellison said again.
Hawley cited reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune.
“The Minnesota Star Tribune,” Hawley said, “Partners in Nutrition brought its concerns to the attorney general’s office in 2018 and in 2019. And you did nothing. You did nothing for years. The only action you took is once all these fraudsters came to your office and asked you to get involved and offered your money, not come, and you got involved, then you have the money, and then you got involved.”
Ellison denied the claims.
“They did not come to my office. You’re completely wrong. … I did not see anybody,” Ellison said.
Hawley responded that the meeting referenced had been recorded and was available online, adding that Ellison’s office had ignored the allegations. Ellison countered that quotes referenced by Hawley were “cherry-picked.”
“No donations came,” Ellison said.
“You should resign,” Hawley replied.
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” Ellison responded.
The Feeding Our Future investigation has led to multiple federal charges tied to the alleged misuse of funds meant to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal officials have described the case as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud schemes in the country.
The hearing marked one of the most heated exchanges between a Republican senator and a Democratic state official over the Minnesota case, which continues to draw national attention.
Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.
Read the full article here


