Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee, is facing new scrutiny after being subpoenaed as part of a Republican-led congressional investigation into the fraudulent misuse of COVID-19 relief funds. At the heart of the inquiry is how the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) oversaw federal child nutrition programs (FCNP) during the pandemic, particularly in relation to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future (FOF), which has been implicated in a massive $250 million fraud scheme.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee, led by Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), is seeking documents related to MDE’s administration of these programs under Walz’s leadership. In her subpoena cover letter, Foxx highlighted that as the state’s chief executive, Walz is ultimately responsible for how the MDE handled federal funds intended to help feed children during the COVID pandemic.

Foxx didn’t mince words in her letter, saying, “Statements in the press by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executive officers were involved, or had knowledge of, MDE’s administration of the FCNP and responsibilities and actions regarding the massive fraud.”

Alongside Walz, subpoenas were issued to other key figures, including MDE Commissioner Willie Jett and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack, with a deadline of September 18 to provide the requested documents.

Feeding Our Future has been at the center of this fraud case since 2022, when the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against dozens of individuals connected to the nonprofit. The scheme involved fraudulent claims for federal funds meant to provide meals to children in need, with U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar describing it as “the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation.”

By mid-2023, five defendants had been convicted, and 23 individuals had been “held accountable” for their roles in siphoning $250 million in relief funds. However, the investigation has raised questions about MDE’s oversight of the program, with critics accusing the department of negligence in its handling of the federal dollars.

Walz, for his part, has downplayed the notion of state-level malfeasance. When asked if state employees would face disciplinary action, Walz maintained, “This wasn’t malfeasance.” He further asserted that “not a single state employee was implicated in doing anything that was illegal,” though he acknowledged that there was a lack of due diligence on the part of state agencies.

A report released this summer by Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) criticized MDE’s oversight of the program, stating that it was “inadequate” and created opportunities for fraud. The report also outlined several failures in program oversight that enabled the fraudulent activities.

Walz’s administration has defended its response, with a spokesperson telling Axios that many of the OLA’s corrective recommendations have been implemented. The administration also claimed to have taken “strong steps” to root out vulnerabilities in government programs to prevent future fraud.