UMVA has learned that a scorching exchange between USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Rep. Angie Craig has exposed the depths of Minnesota's welfare fraud scandal, leaving the congresswoman's defense in tatters.
In a heated hearing, Rollins dismantled Craig's desperate attempt to downplay her state's staggering 1.6% SNAP fraud rate, calling it "an absolute joke." This explosive confrontation comes on the heels of Rollins' efforts to root out widespread abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides vital support to millions of Americans.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Rollins sent letters to all 50 governors on her first day as Secretary, demanding SNAP data to crack down on illegal aliens, deceased recipients, and multi-state fraud. Twenty-nine states, mostly red states, complied with the request, revealing shocking evidence of abuse.
In those compliant states, investigators uncovered thousands of illicit EBT card uses, including one individual collecting benefits in six different states. Approximately 5,000 dead people were still receiving benefits, sparking outrage and calls for reform. Nearly 700,000 people have already been removed from the rolls, and 118 fraud arrests have been made.
But Minnesota, Rep. Craig's home state, has been at the epicenter of some of the largest welfare fraud scandals in American history. The Feeding Our Future debacle, for instance, ballooned from $250 million to over $1 billion, with whistleblowers suggesting the true figure may be far higher.
Despite this, Craig repeatedly cited "USDA data" showing Minnesota's fraud rate at just 1.6%, sparking Rollins' ire. The Secretary wasn't having it, pointing out that Minnesota refused to share its data, making it impossible to verify the claim.
The tense exchange culminated in Rollins' withering rebuke: "Your state is saying we only have a 1.6% fraud rate, which we all know is an absolute joke." Craig struggled to respond, seemingly confused about the difference between error rates and fraud rates.
As the hearing descended into chaos, Rollins and Craig clashed over the issue, with the Secretary accusing the congresswoman of making a "political statement" rather than seeking genuine answers. The explosive confrontation has left many wondering about the true extent of welfare fraud in Minnesota and the lengths to which officials will go to conceal it.
