House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican from Minnesota, accused state Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday of lying about a December 2021 meeting with individuals who were later convicted in connection with the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal.

The accusation came as a House Oversight Committee hearing examined welfare fraud in Minnesota and coincided with the release of an interim Oversight panel report on the matter. Emmer told The Post he believes Ellison has "something to hide" and called the timeline of events "damning," while Ellison's office responded by directing inquiries to an April 2025 op-ed in which the attorney general maintained he acted in good faith and was deceived by the individuals he met.

The Feeding Our Future case is one of the largest pandemic-era fraud schemes in the country, involving the theft of federal funds meant to feed children. Several individuals connected to the scheme have since been convicted. The controversy now centers on what Minnesota officials knew and when they knew it.

Ellison's December 2021 Meeting Under Scrutiny

In December 2021, Ellison met with a group of people who would later be convicted as fraudsters tied to the Feeding Our Future case. At the time, the individuals reportedly told Ellison they were victims of discriminatory government policy. Audio from that meeting captured Ellison telling the group, "I got your back."

Ellison addressed the meeting in an op-ed published in April 2025. In it, he wrote that a friend had told him the people he was meeting with "were being treated unfairly by the state of Minnesota." He explained that he regularly meets with hundreds of constituents each year.

"I took a meeting in good faith with people I didn't know, and some turned out to have done bad things," Ellison wrote. He added, "I did nothing for them and took nothing from them." He also noted that "some months later, some of them were held accountable for their illegal conduct in the Feeding Our Future case," adding, "I'm glad they were."

Emmer Calls the Attorney General's Account Incomplete

Emmer, however, said he does not believe Ellison's version of events. "I think he was lying," Emmer said. He added, "I asked him questions that he clearly did not give complete answers to."

The congressman further argued that Ellison was being deliberately evasive. "Keith was trying to walk that line where what was coming out of his mouth, he wanted it to be the truth, but not the whole truth," Emmer said. "He wasn't telling you everything."

Emmer pointed to a September 2022 statement from Ellison's office that said it had been "deeply involved in the Feeding Our Future case since September of 2020." He argued that this timeline suggests Ellison was already aware of fraud allegations when he met with the convicted individuals in December 2021. "That actually sounds like you are saying that at the time of your infamous meeting with the Somali fraudsters, you were already aware of the allegations of fraud," Emmer said.

Oversight Report and Calls for Criminal Consequences

The interim report from the House Oversight panel, released Wednesday, addressed the broader Minnesota welfare fraud scandal. Emmer said the report confirmed "a lot of what a lot of other people and I are thinking." He also predicted that additional whistleblowers would come forward to corroborate allegations that Minnesota officials under Democratic Gov. Tim Walz either ignored or retaliated against those who raised concerns about the fraud.

Emmer did not hold back when discussing potential consequences. "If it becomes clear that he actively obstructed the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation in exchange for campaign donations, as the audiotape of his December 2021 meeting suggests, he needs to be disbarred, and he needs to go to jail," Emmer said.

"At some point, Minnesotans are going to recognize that these Democrats are not only completely incompetent, but they're also corrupt," Emmer said. "And we need a change." When contacted for comment on the latest round of accusations, Ellison's team referred The Post to his April 2025 op-ed.

Lessons to Learn

1. Public officials must be held to rigorous transparency standards, especially when federal funds designed to help vulnerable populations are at stake. Citizens should demand full accountability from elected leaders regardless of party affiliation. Oversight mechanisms exist for a reason, and supporting their function helps protect taxpayer dollars.

2. Fraud schemes often exploit trust, and even well-intentioned officials can be misled by bad actors who present themselves as victims. This case illustrates why verification and due diligence are essential before any public figure lends their credibility to a cause. Healthy skepticism protects both leaders and the communities they serve.

3. It is important to remember that no matter what precautions are taken, sophisticated criminal operations can deceive anyone. We should never blame individuals who were misled in good faith. The focus should remain on identifying systemic failures and ensuring they cannot be repeated.

Why This Story Matters

The Feeding Our Future scandal involved the misuse of millions in federal dollars intended to feed children during a national crisis, making accountability essential for public trust. This story matters because it raises fundamental questions about whether state officials acted appropriately or allowed fraud to persist unchecked. Communities across Minnesota and the nation deserve answers about how such a massive scheme was allowed to flourish and what steps are being taken to prevent future abuses of public welfare programs.

In summary, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has publicly accused Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison of being dishonest about a December 2021 meeting with individuals later convicted in the Feeding Our Future fraud case, citing audio evidence and a timeline he calls "damning." Ellison maintains he met with the group in good faith and was deceived, pointing to an April 2025 op-ed as his full response.

An interim House Oversight Committee report released Wednesday has intensified scrutiny of the broader scandal, with Emmer calling for disbarment and criminal prosecution if obstruction is proven, while also predicting more whistleblowers will emerge to shed light on the state's handling of the case.