Politics & Government
Walz: Judge Threatened Jail If 'Feeding Our Future' Wasn't Paid
Gov. Tim Walz said his administration stopped payments to "Feeding Our Future," a nonprofit accused of fraud, but were ordered to restart.
ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz defended his administration Thursday against criticism that they allowed a massive food fraud operation to go unchecked during the pandemic.
According to Walz, Education Commissioner Heather Mueller was threatened by a judge with jail if she did not continue payments to "Feeding Our Future," the nonprofit accused of trying to scam $250 million from a federally-funded child nutrition program.
Federal funds from the program were distributed by each state to local organizations serving meals to children.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday criminal charges against 48 people in connection to Feeding Our Future.
In response to criticism of his governance from Republicans, Walz said in a Thursday news conference that his administration — under President Donald Trump — alerted federal officials of their suspicions.
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The state stopped payments to Feeding Our Future. However, in April 2021, Ramsey County District Judge John Guthmann ordered the state to resume the payments, according to Walz.
"My commissioner was threatened with jail, if she did not pay, by contempt of court the judge ruled," Walz told the media.
"We caught this fraud. We caught it very early. We alerted the right people," Walz added. "We were taken to court. We were sued. We were threatened with going to jail. We stuck with it."
On Tuesday, while announcing the indictments, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said it was "not for me to say" whether the Minnesota Department of Education is at fault.
"We’re pleased with the cooperation — thorough cooperation — we got from MDE throughout this investigation," adding that "I blame the defendants who perpetrated, covered up and executed the scheme."
Read more: Lists Of Fake Children Used In Scheme To Swindle Pandemic Aid: Feds
Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.
Editor's note: Patch incorrectly stated that a Ramsey County judge ordered the state to restart payments to Feeding Our Future.
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