Vance demands DOJ probe of Minnesota officials as White House presses 'war on fraud'

By — Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/vance-demands-doj-probe-of-minnesota-officials-as-white-house-presses-war-on-fraud Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Vance demands DOJ probe of Minnesota officials as White House presses 'war on fraud' Politics Jun 9, 2026 12:19 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance is pressing federal prosecutors to investigate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, amplifying concerns the White House will use a new Justice Department division to target political rivals. Vance, who has been tapped to lead the Trump administration's anti-fraud efforts as he seeks to raise his political profile as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, cited in a letter to the Justice Department a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that alleges Walz and Ellison were aware of pervasive abuse of government programs for years and let it flourish. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday about whether it would open an investigation. It was unclear what, if any, potential violations of federal law could support a probe into the Democratic Minnesota officials , who have defended their efforts to combat fraud and have characterized a separate Justice Department investigation involving state leaders as politically motivated. Minnesota has long been under a microscope for staggering amounts of fraud in programs for children and other social services, with dozens of defendants charged under the administrations of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and President Donald Trump, a Republican. Vance's referral for an investigation into state leaders, however, marks an escalation in the Trump administration's stated "war on fraud" that officials have said would not be political or partisan. Vance is seeking an investigation by a new Justice Department division that has drawn intense scrutiny over the potential for political influence given its close relationship with Trump's White House. The White House announced the division's formation in January and initially said its leader would answer directly to the president instead of the typical Justice Department command. Walz spokesperson Teddy Tschann derided the House committee as "nothing more than a joke" that continues to "re-hash COVID-era fraud." "Governor Walz is glad to see fraudsters are going to prison," Tschann said in an email. "If the committee is concerned about corruption, they should investigate why President Trump continues to let fraudsters out of prison." Ellison called the allegations unfounded and dismissed Vance's referral as "a political stunt from an adm