Former Walz rival says fraud has Minnesotans ‘fed up’ and demanding accountability
Republican critics say mounting frustration grows across state over taxpayer dollars and oversight failures
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Anger is growing across Minnesota as voters say they are "fed up" with fraud and demanding accountability, former Tim Walz rival Donna Bergstrom said Tuesday.
"Fraud is fraud," Bergstrom, who ran for lieutenant governor on Republican Jeff Johnson’s ticket in the 2018 race against Walz, said on "Jesse Watters Primetime."
Bergstrom said she hears mounting frustration from voters across the state who believe taxpayer dollars have been squandered and oversight failures ignored. She argued that Minnesotans want the governor held responsible for what they see as a pattern of mismanagement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They want Tim Walz to be held accountable," Bergstrom said. "We just recently had Minnesota legislators call for his resignation, but Minnesotans want this to stop."
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a town hall meeting at the DeYor Performing Arts Center on April 7, 2025, in Youngstown, Ohio. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Minnesota GOP floor leader Harry Niska echoed those concerns, accusing the governor of refusing to take responsibility for the scandal and ignoring repeated warnings from lawmakers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"[This] is a perfect storm of political corruption, woke ideology and incompetent big government, and they want to buy off this voting block," Niska said.
"They are afraid to be called racist if they ask any questions, and he's staffed his administration with people who are totally unable to do the job."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste / Fox News Channel)
Walz, however, took accountability in recent remarks to reporters.
"This is on my watch. I am accountable for this. And more importantly, I am the one that will fix it," he said.
But Walz questioned whether federal prosecutors' accusations that the fraud could have totaled in the billions were politically motivated.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You should be equally outraged about $1 or whatever that number is, but they're using that number without the proof behind it," Walz said. "But to extrapolate what that number is for sensationalism, or to make statements about it, it doesn't really help us."
Niska proceeded to call the scandal an "embarrassment" for the state on Tuesday, adding that the issue has become a "top priority" for state-level Republicans seeking accountability.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A spokesperson for Walz also recently released a statement addressing the swath of fraud allegations plaguing the state, saying, "The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and asked the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action. He has strengthened oversight."
Others have denied claims surrounding fraud allegations, including Ibrahim Ali, the manager of Quality Learning Center, a daycare facility at the core of some allegations.