GOP demands answers from Tim Walz after Minnesota fraud video: 'There’s got to be some accounting'

WASHINGTON, DC: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is facing intense public and political scrutiny following the viral investigation video by YouTuber Nick Shirley into alleged widespread fraud within the state's taxpayer-funded daycare programs. 

High-profile figures and lawmakers are now calling for immediate accountability to address the misappropriation of millions of dollars.

Lawmakers call to hold Tim Walz accountable

The video’s findings triggered a wave of condemnation from Republican leaders and legal experts who argue that the Governor’s administration failed in its oversight duties. 

Rep Mike Lawler, R-NY, took to social media to express his outrage.

Lawler stated, "Folks need to be arrested and prosecuted and the Governor of Minnesota needs to be held accountable. Congress should hold a hearing immediately and start getting answers." 

Legal analyst Jonathan Turley echoed this sentiment during an interview with Fox News, suggesting that the Governor’s casual response to the allegations was insufficient. 

Turley remarked, “We have to hold people like Tim Walz to account. If you burn a billion dollars through sheer negligence and blind recklessness, then there’s got to be some accounting. You've got to appear in answer for these questions."

Despite the growing pressure, Turley noted that Walz has yet to provide a defense, stating, "He basically offered a shrug and a smile. Well, There's a billion dollars missing on the table and someone's gonna have to answer for it."

McMahon and Trump Jr blast Tim Walz oversight

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon criticized the oversight on X, writing, "One fraudulent business in Minnesota that misspelled “learning” on its building received $1.9M this year while masquerading as a daycare. There are not enough words to describe the breathtaking failure that has happened under the watch of @GovTimWalz." 

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. urged citizens to watch the footage to see how their tax dollars are being used, writing, "If you haven’t watched this yet. Watch it. All of it. Understand that this is what journalists are supposed to do, but no one in the mainstream media will even bother to look let alone actually publish it. This is what they’re doing to your country with your tax dollars!!!"

Elon Musk targets Tim Walz over immigrant programs

Elon Musk weighed in on the situation, accusing the "radical left" of using government programs to support immigrant populations for political gain. 

Musk posted, "The more you look at it, the more you will be horrified at what your tax money is doing and the fact that, if this is not reversed, your vote will mean nothing. The most obvious case example is the Somali voting bloc in Minnesota, a state that historically had zero Somalis, electing Ilhan Omar to the US Congress." 

As the video continues to circulate, calls for legal action have intensified, with Musk posting a day earlier, "Prosecute Tim Walz." 

YouTuber’s probe into Minnesota’s child-care crisis

The controversy gained momentum after YouTuber Nick Shirley released a 42-minute documentary titled “I Investigated Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Fraud Scandal.” 

In the video, Shirley visits several child-care centers across Minnesota on a weekday, pretending he wants to enroll his son. 

Despite these facilities reportedly receiving massive state subsidies, Shirley found many locations locked, silent, or completely empty of children. 

At one facility labeled “Quality Learing Center”—where the word “learning” was misspelled, Shirley noted the center received $1.9 million this year to care for 99 children. 

However, a local bystander told him, “I haven’t seen any kids. I’ve been here since 2017.” 

Shirley eventually claimed that Walz misappropriated $110 million intended for these centers, asserting that many were essentially non-operational “ghost” facilities.