FBI Director Kash Patel Calls Out Gov. Tim Walz for Taking Credit in Massive Minnesota Fraud Raids

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced a sharp public rebuke from FBI Director Kash Patel after Walz took credit for a sweeping federal fraud investigation that saw 22 Minneapolis businesses raided on Tuesday. The raids targeted largely Somali-owned childcare facilities and other businesses, as part of a major probe into alleged fraud involving childcare funding.

Walz tweeted that the raids resulted because Minnesota state agencies “caught irregular behavior and reported it,” implying state leadership was behind the crackdown. Patel responded bluntly on X (formerly Twitter): “Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today. But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship.”

The raids follow a viral YouTube video by Nick Shirley that exposed widespread fraud in childcare funding last December. The scandal has cast a long shadow over Walz’s administration, which previously froze childcare funds and ordered audits of daycare centers. Critics say the fraud scandal unfolded under Walz’s watch, ultimately forcing him to drop his re-election bid amid mounting public pressure.

Conservative voices were quick to pile on. Townhall columnist Dustin Grage called Walz an “arsonist masquerading as a firefighter,” while Republican operatives and lawmakers hammered the governor for dodging accountability on billions in fraud. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee promised legislation to prevent future fraud, explicitly telling Walz to “sit this one out.”

The clash between Walz and Patel underscores the political tensions surrounding the fraud probe. Federal authorities have taken the lead on the investigation, distancing themselves from the state’s faltering response. A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed the FBI and other law enforcement agencies are engaged in “court-authorized law enforcement activity” related to the ongoing fraud investigation.

Despite Walz’s attempts to claim credit, Minneapolis city officials clarified they are not involved in the raids. The fallout from this scandal continues to roil Minnesota politics, exposing failures at multiple levels of government to prevent and address corruption in public funding.

As the federal probe unfolds, the spotlight remains fixed on the Trump-era legacy of corruption and mismanagement that allowed such massive fraud to fester. This is exactly the kind of accountability Only Clowns Are Orange exists to surface — no matter how many politicians try to rewrite the story.