Minnesota's been ground zero for the biggest fraud scandal in American history – $9 billion stolen from taxpayers, with $250 million from just one program meant to feed hungry kids.
Thursday morning, Josh Hawley confronted the man who's supposed to stop crime in Minnesota, and the exchange went nuclear.
By the time it ended, Hawley was telling Keith Ellison he should be indicted, and Ellison was daring him to try.
The Feeding Our Future Recording That Caught Ellison On Tape
Hawley came armed with evidence Ellison couldn't wave away – a 54-minute audio recording from December 11, 2021.
The tape captures Ellison meeting with Somali business owners in his official state capitol office, several of whom would later be convicted of running the biggest COVID fraud scheme in American history through an organization called Feeding Our Future.
"Send me the names of all these folks who are investigating them," Ellison told them.
"I'll take that list, and I'll call the person over at Education and say, what's going on?"
He kept going: "I already have my team working on this. Let's go fight these people" – meaning the investigators trying to stop the fraud.
Nine days later, Ellison's campaign received $10,000 in donations from people in that room.
One month after that, the FBI raided Feeding Our Future and shut down the operation.
Ellison Denied Taking Campaign Donations Until Hawley Played The Audio
Ellison claimed Hawley was "cherry-picking quotes" from the recording.
"It's 54 minutes long," Hawley fired back. "It's all in public. You can Google it right now."
Ellison said he didn't help the fraudsters, that his team assisted with prosecutions.
"BS," Hawley shot back. "You had whistleblowers come to you as early as 2019."
State records confirm whistleblowers brought fraud concerns to Ellison's office in 2018 and 2019.
Ellison did nothing.
But when the fraudsters showed up offering campaign cash, he had time to help.
The Money Trail Leads To Terrorists And Child Traffickers
Here's what makes this beyond corrupt – where the stolen money ended up.
"The funds went to terrorist groups, to transnational criminal organizations, to the drug trade, to drug trafficking, to child trafficking," Hawley said.
Congressional testimony from the day before confirmed federal prosecutors traced the stolen COVID relief funds to Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
Money meant to feed Minnesota kids bought weapons for terrorists who've killed Americans.
Ellison took $10,000 from people funneling taxpayer dollars to terrorist networks.
The Senate Homeland Security Hearing Erupted Over $10,000 In Donations
When Ellison tried interrupting, Hawley shut him down: "Mr. Ellison, you're in my courtroom now. You're under oath."
Committee chairman Rand Paul tried stepping in.
Hawley wasn't having it: "I'll ask how I want to, Mr. Paul."
"It's my hearing, pal," Hawley said.
"Don't call me pal," Ellison snapped.
"Well, I should call you a prisoner because you ought to be in jail," Hawley fired back.
Ellison's response: "Well, see what you can do about it."
That's not a defense – that's a dare from someone who thinks Democrats are above the law.
How $9 Billion In Minnesota Fraud Happened Under Walz And Ellison
The Feeding Our Future scandal is part of $9 billion in fraud that happened on Walz and Ellison's watch.
Federal prosecutors charged 78 people in the Feeding Our Future case.
Fifty-seven have been convicted, including ringleader Aimee Bock, who was found guilty on all counts in March 2025.
Sites claimed they were serving 6,000 meals a day in towns with total populations under 3,000.
FBI surveillance showed locations claiming to feed thousands serving maybe 40 kids.
Only 3% of the money went to food.
Minnesota Department of Education tried stopping payments in late 2020 after flagging the operation as "severely deficient."
Feeding Our Future sued the state.
A judge sided with the fraudsters and ordered Minnesota to keep the money flowing – with Ellison's office representing the state in that lawsuit.
Then those same fraudsters showed up in Ellison's office asking him to make investigators back off.
Whistleblowers Warned About Feeding Our Future Fraud Since 2019
Whistleblowers came forward in 2018 and 2019 warning about Feeding Our Future.
Ellison's office referred them to other agencies and did nothing.
State employees who raised fraud concerns about other programs were told to shut up.
One worker was allegedly told: "You will never get another state job."
The Minnesota Department of Human Services commissioner told hundreds of employees in early 2023 to "stop reporting concerns" about fraud.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer's investigation found Minnesota officials "saw early signs of fraud within Feeding Our Future but failed to intervene."
Whistleblowers allege the Department of Human Services deleted data and withheld records to cover up how bad the fraud really was.
Governor Walz claimed there was "no evidence" anyone did anything illegal, but several top officials who oversaw the programs quietly left their jobs.
Why This Matters Beyond Minnesota
Democrats spent years screaming about Trump's supposed corruption.
Now you've got a Democratic attorney general caught on tape promising to help criminals, taking their money, and watching billions flow to terrorist networks.
Ellison was a congressman before becoming AG, and Democrats treated him like a rising star.
When fraud exploded under his watch, he claimed his office had been "deeply involved for two years" in stopping it.
The December 2021 tape proves he didn't know what Feeding Our Future was until fraudsters walked into his office offering campaign cash.
By the time Hawley was done Thursday, Ellison was reduced to calling everything "lies" while the evidence sat online for anyone to verify.
"You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion, and you got a fat campaign contribution out of it," Hawley said. "You ought to be indicted."
Ellison's response? "You should resign."
Not a denial.
Not an explanation.
Just a deflection from someone who knows he's caught but thinks he'll never face consequences.
Because that's how Democrats operate – commit the crime, deny everything, accuse your accusers, and count on the media to run cover.
Except this time there's a 54-minute recording that won't go away.
Sources:
- Josh Hawley, Senate testimony, Senate Homeland Security Committee, February 12, 2026.
- Center of the American Experiment, "Feeding Our Future: Keith Ellison caught on tape!" April 9, 2025.
- James Comer, "Chairman Comer Launches Investigation into Massive Fraud in Minnesota's Social Services System," House Oversight Committee, December 3, 2025.
- Minnesota Star Tribune, "Here's what to know about Minnesota's fraud crisis amid national scrutiny," December 21, 2025.
- U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick, "Federal Jury Finds Feeding Our Future Mastermind and Co-Defendant Guilty," Department of Justice, March 19, 2025.
- Fox News, "Keith Ellison faces scrutiny over audio recording with Somali fraudsters," January 7, 2026.