Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is speaking out amid growing questions about her potential connection to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scandal in Minnesota and suggested that the Trump administration also bears responsibility.
“Any claim that I had knowledge of this scheme is flat-out false,” Omar said in a written statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “The MEALS Act was signed into law by President Trump and passed with bipartisan support as part of a broader legislative package.
Trump’s USDA Secretary set the regulatory framework during the rollout of the program. I have always championed feeding kids and will continue to ensure our children do not go hungry.”
Omar added that when the fraud was discovered, she immediately sent a letter to the USDA Secretary demanding answers and accountability. She condemned the scheme, saying, “Stealing millions of dollars under the guise of feeding hungry children to bankroll lavish lifestyles and extravagant expenses is reprehensible.
I’m grateful that Aimee Bock and every individual involved are being held accountable for defrauding taxpayers and betraying vulnerable children.”
Mounting Pressure and Committee Scrutiny
Omar faced increasing pressure to clarify her role and knowledge of the scandal, which reportedly cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee invited Omar to testify, but she did not respond. An attempt to subpoena her was blocked by Democrats on the committee.
The committee recently released a final report criticizing Gov. Tim Walz’s administration for fostering a “culture of tolerance” that allowed fraudsters to steal billions in taxpayer dollars.
The report also pointed to Omar, saying her MEALS Act, implemented through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, removed safeguards from federal nutrition programs. It allowed for-profit restaurants to participate and permitted “grab-and-go” meals, making it hard to verify whether children were actually fed by the Feeding Our Future program.
Calls for Congressional Action
The committee’s Republican chair, state Rep. Kristin Robbins, suggested that Congress should enforce a subpoena to get more answers regarding Omar’s alleged ties to convicted fraudsters, her promotion of a Minneapolis restaurant later linked to the program, and her communications with the Minnesota Department of Education and constituents.
Robbins told Fox News Digital, “She only sent a letter once the fraud was exposed. Prior to that, she sent letters urging the administration to keep the waivers in place — allowing the fraud to continue. Sounds like revisionist history. I don’t buy it at all.”
USDA Response
Earlier reports highlighted that a former Omar staffer had emailed the committee, pointing to Trump’s USDA and downplaying the impact of the MEALS Act. A USDA spokesperson clarified, “Minnesota officials had warnings, complaints, and evidence for months – what staff described as an ‘open secret’ – yet failed to stop one of the largest COVID fraud schemes in history.
USDA’s Office of Inspector General helped investigate and arrest dozens involved in the scheme. Regulations do not force states to ignore fraud and do not absolve them from doing the right thing. Blaming federal rules after the fact does not erase Minnesota’s failure to act while taxpayers were defrauded of hundreds of millions of dollars meant to feed hungry children.”
