NYT’s Mara Gay on Minnesota Fraud Allegations: “Politicization Of DOJ And FBI Is Undeniable”
New York Times opinion writer Mara Gay offered this opinion about allegations of widespread welfare fraud among members of the Somali diaspora community in Minnesota, Monday morning on MS-NOW’s “Morning Joe.”
JONATHAN LEMIRE: FBI Director Kash Patel has announced a surge in resources to investigate alleged fraud in Minnesota social programs, which has led to dozens of arrests and indictments and has largely tainted the state’s Somali immigrant population. Last week, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee expanded its investigation into the Medicaid fraud allegations there in Minnesota. That move came days after the assistant U.S. attorney in Minnesota, who was appointed by President Trump this past summer, claimed widespread fraud across multiple state programs that could total more than $ 9 billion. Now, Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has very much disputed those figures. Earlier this month, he announced a new statewide fraud prevention program following scrutiny over fraud issues in the state. And, Mara, this is a story that’s really gained a lot of traction among conservative media members, among MAGA folks online, including members of the Trump administration. Vice President JD Vance was posting about it the other day. There’s a lot we don’t know here just yet, but it does give off at least a sense-and we’ll see where the facts take us-but at least we can safely say this: it seems like Republicans are eager to be talking about something else amid a lot of the bad news surrounding the president right now. MARA GAY, NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST: Right. Well, sure. These were funds that were meant to help feed hungry people during the COVID pandemic, to help keep people in their homes who were at risk of homelessness. So, first of all, if there is fraud there, that should be fully investigated-no matter where it is, whether it’s in a Democratic-led state or a Republican-led state. Absolutely, it should be investigated. The question is, why is this a priority in a different kind of way? The politicization of the DOJ and the FBI is undeniable. So whether they are reliable narrators is the big question. This is what happens when you weaponize and politicize federal agencies that are not meant to be politicized. I think the American people are right to ask the question: can we trust you? And that’s a sad thing to say as an American. Let’s recall, too, that there are other scandals in other states-for example, the Mississippi welfare scandal. This is not unique to politics. Americans know that. But of course, the other factor here is that because it looks like the Somali population in Minnesota-the Somali immigrant population-may have been involved in some way, those people are being scapegoated. That community is being scapegoated in a way that certainly serves the far right, and that’s also something to keep an eye on. And that’s inappropriate, absolutely.
