Lawmakers Condemn Minnesota Department of Education for Inadequate Oversight in $250M Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

(KNSI) — Lawmakers are furious over the recent audit of the Education Department’s handling of the Feeding Our Future fraud case by the Office of the Legislative Auditor.

The report showed the Minnesota Department of Education was not prepared to handle the issues within the organization and alleged their lax oversight may have contributed to the fraud.

House Education Committee Representatives Ron Kresha (R–Little Falls) and Peggy Bennett (R–Albert Lea) expressed disappointment in the Walz Administration surrounding the MDE’s failures, resulting in $250 million in taxpayer money being fraudulently diverted by Feeding Our Future. The Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program, overseen by the MDE, were responsible for making sure the money was used to feed hungry kids.

Rep. Kresha says, “Instead, the Walz Administration’s Department of Education’s lack of oversight allowed hundreds of millions of dollars to be stolen by fraudsters. Every state dollar stolen is a dollar that doesn’t help those in need.”

“The numerous under-investigated reports and the failure of multiple eligibility checkpoints that allowed this fraud to persist for so long is completely unacceptable. Minnesotans expect proper administration of state programs and that their tax dollars are used to improve our state. There should be zero tolerance for any level of fraud in these and similar programs,” added Representative Bennett.

“This report should be a wake-up call for the executive branch that Minnesotans deserve better. We should demand better from those elected to lead our state. Minnesota families are already struggling with nearly $10 billion in new taxes imposed by Democrats. They are finding it hard enough to pay their bills and put food on the table without this level of waste, fraud, and abuse,” concluded Kresha and Bennett.

Education Commissioner Willie Jett defended his department’s actions and refuted the report’s allegation that MDE’s oversight was inadequate. The report said MDE’s inaction created opportunities for fraud. Jett declined to blame anyone for the lack of oversight.

Democratic Senator Ann Rest of New Hope called it “extremely disappointing” nobody took responsibility by saying ““The buck is still running down the street and stopping nowhere, and that is unacceptable.”

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