Ilhan Omar Goes Full Ghost Mode When Asked About Massive Minnesota Feeding Scam She Helped Supercharge

She knows we know, but thinks she's untouchable

Rep. Ilhan Omar (Socialist-MN) had nothing to say when Fox News Digital asked her point-blank if she would cooperate with the investigation into Minnesota's massive "Feeding Our Future" scandal. The far-left lawmaker faces accusations of ties to those at the center of a scheme federal prosecutors say ripped off taxpayers for roughly $250 million. Yet when pressed on those connections, Omar went radio silent.

(H/T Fox News Digital)

"Did you ask Minnesota Democrats to block the subpoena for the investigation of Feeding Our Future on the state level?" she was asked in the halls of Congress on Monday. No response. She also blew off the follow-up: "Would you cooperate with that subpoena and provide documents if they request it here in the House Oversight Committee?"

After the story ran, Omar's office coughed up a statement to Fox News Digital denying any involvement.

"Any claim that I had knowledge of this scheme is flat-out false," Omar said. "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 continued, "The moment this fraud came to light, I immediately sent a letter to the USDA Secretary demanding answers and accountability. As I stated from the beginning, 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 in this abhorrent scheme are being held accountable for defrauding taxpayers and betraying vulnerable children."

Her MEALS Act, the 2020 COVID relief bill she sponsored, is widely viewed as a key link to the scandal. Republicans argue it supercharged the fraud by fast-tracking USDA waiver authority for meal sites and gutting basic safeguards.

Despite months of dodging questions and refusing to provide information on her documented connections to some of the convicted players, Omar continues to play coy.

The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee invited her to testify this month and requested documents related to the scandal. She missed the deadline, which led to a subpoena vote that fell short after Democrats blocked the GOP push. It needed six votes to pass and got only five.

"She didn't even respond, ghosted us," state Rep. Kristin Robbins, chair of the committee, told Fox News Digital back in April. The committee wanted communications showing how Omar pushed expanded access to federal child nutrition programs, including emails, texts, and meeting records with the Minnesota Department of Education and constituents. They also asked about her public promotion of a Minneapolis restaurant later tied to the program, including a Somali-language TV spot where she highlighted Safari Restaurant as a meal site.

Records of contact with Aimee Bock and dozens of other charged or implicated individuals were also requested. Bock, the nonprofit founder, is staring down a possible 50-year prison sentence."A lot of the sites were working directly with her, being that a lot of the operators were from the same Somali community," Bock said about Omar in a recent jailhouse interview with the New York Post. "There were a lot of people that had been reaching out to her office and staff, and I presume her personally, to work through some of those gaps with the waivers."

Just last week, the committee dropped an 84-page report slamming Gov. Tim Walz's administration for creating a "culture of tolerance" that let fraudsters loot billions in taxpayer funds. The findings followed two dozen hearings and hundreds of whistleblower tips about ignored warnings and oversight breakdowns.

An estimated $300 million in federal meal program fraud and up to $9 billion in Medicaid fraud were stolen, according to the report, far higher than initial figures.

It also points directly at Omar's MEALS Act for loosening anti-fraud protections in nutrition programs, making it much tougher to confirm whether kids were actually being fed.

In related news, sources confirm Omar is currently hard at work on new legislation titled the "No Questions Asked Feeding Freedom Act," which would replace all remaining oversight with strongly worded statements and inspirational Instagram posts.

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USDA fraud crackdown to end loophole that has the ultra rich get food stamps

The USDA is finally getting serious about cracking down on food stamp fraud all over the country, going after a loophole that’s been letting wealthy people qualify for government benefits they have no business touching.

[H/T Fox News]

Secretary Brooke Rollins dropped a post on X this week noting that one single state has 14,000 individuals on SNAP benefits who are also tooling around in Ferraris, Bentleys, and Lamborghinis. You can’t make this stuff up.

She put fraudsters on notice that the USDA is working to shut down that loophole under the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility policy, the one that lets people qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits even when they’ve got the cash to drop hundreds of thousands on luxury cars.

Rollins told Fox Business this week that the department is "getting very, very close to being able to fix that" loophole.

SNAP, the biggest federal anti-hunger program in the United States, has been a favorite punching bag for conservatives demanding reforms for years. Rollins went on "The Ingraham Angle" Thursday night to highlight just how insane some of the waste and abuse has gotten.

"We've found 500,000 people getting more than one benefit illegally. We found 244,000 dead people. This is just the red states," Rollins said about what she's discovered going through the data from the states that have agreed to provide it since her first day on the job.

"We have arrested 895 different people in the last year for illegally using the food stamp system and, of course, now we're talking about what is happening with that money."

USDA numbers show 4.2 million fewer food stamp recipients during President Trump’s first year in office as the administration keeps swinging the axe amid endless reports of misuse from coast to coast.

"Food stamp waste and fraud is out of control," Republican congressional candidate in Orange County and CAL DOGE Director Jenny Rae Le Roux told Fox News Digital. "California alone loses nearly $14 million every day from SNAP to EBT skimming, out-of-state and country beneficiaries and eligibility lapses at a time when technology exists to close every gap, quickly."In March, Fox News Digital reported on Minnesota millionaire Rob Undersander, who somehow qualified for food stamps anyway. He’s been ringing the alarm on this nonsense ever since and has testified about it in Minnesota and before Congress.

"Reintroducing basic guardrails like an asset test is a commonsense step to restore integrity, ensure benefits go to those who truly need them and protect the long-term viability of the program," America First Policy Institute Health & Harvest Campaign Director Matt Schmid said in March.

"This isn’t about taking help away. It’s about making sure SNAP works the way it was intended to."

On top of that, the USDA put out a press release Thursday detailing Rollins’ plan to reorganize the SNAP program, including shipping food nutrition resources and staff out of Washington, D.C., to places like Indianapolis, Dallas, Denver, and Kansas City. About time some of these bureaucrats got a taste of real America.

A USDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital Friday the announcement "aligns with the Food and Nutrition Administration’s mission, to nourish those in need through financially sound programs that promote health and work, as well as champion the productivity of American agriculture."

"As the Food and Nutrition Administration begins its refocusing of operations, all 16 federal nutrition programs will continue without disruption. Pertaining to Indianapolis, it has a lower cost of living, one of the top airports in the country, and has excelled at innovative program delivery."In the end, the administration says these fixes will actually help the people who really need the assistance.

"Since its inception, SNAP has helped our most vulnerable citizens afford the essential and nutritious food they need," Rollins and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote in a Fox News op-ed in March. "At least, that is what the program is supposed to do.

"Over time, however, SNAP has been taken advantage of, allowing many to game the system and leaving millions of vulnerable Americans without healthy, nutrient-dense food options."

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"Biden’s Loan Forgiveness Fiasco: White Farmers Shafted in Race-Based Cash Grab, Whistleblower Spills"

The Biden gang got caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and this time, it’s not just crumbs. They’re dishing out straight-up racial discrimination against White farmers. 

A whistleblower from the USDA spilled the beans, and like dirty skivvies, it stinks. The Biden administration rolled out a loan forgiveness program that was basically a neon sign screaming, “No Whites allowed.” Up to 120% of farm loan debt wiped clean, but only if your skin checked the right box. Financial need? Pfft, who cares? It’s all about that diversity checklist.

The whistleblower, who’s got more guts than a slaughterhouse, told media outlet NewsNation that only minority farmers got the golden ticket. A letter from the USDA flagging their “potential eligibility as a Farm Loan Programs borrower for a payment under Section 1005 of the American Rescue Plan Act.” 

Meanwhile, white farmers got zilch. The program, tucked into the American Rescue Act, was laser-focused on “socially disadvantaged farmers” which is code for anyone who’s American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or Latino. Those folks got their loans paid off, plus a sweet 20% bonus to cover taxes. White farmers? Not so much.

The whistleblower didn’t mince words: “It’s not right. It was discriminatory. Unethical. And the people who pushed it are still in charge of the agency . . .  (those) at the national office. Trump hasn’t gotten rid of them.” So, the same suits who cooked up this race-based scheme are still calling the shots, even under new management.

And here’s where it gets interesting. 

A group of White farmers, fed up with being sidelined, hauled the feds to court, arguing this program was a middle finger to the Equal Protection Clause. The judge was not having it. Slammed the gavel and called it like it is: “an actual constitutional harm that cannot be undone.” The ruling laid it bare: White farmers “will suffer the harm of being excluded from eligibility for that debt relief program solely on the basis of race,” and that’s “irreparable.” 

Then the whistleblower dropped another bomb: even after the court slapped this down, the Biden team kept the discrimination train rolling. White farmers were ghosted again, left out of notifications for a new payment and loan modification program under the Inflation Reduction Act. The USDA, under Tom Vilsack’s watch, apparently thought, “Why stop at one screw-up?” 

The whistleblower said the regime “was trying to keep this hushed because of the obvious implications of race-based loan forgiveness.” When your policy reads like a segregation playbook, you probably don’t want that on the front page. But let's remember, it was the Democrats who have historically been melanin conscious, like they were in the Civil War and held slaves.

So here we are, folks: a government program that picks winners and losers based on skin color, not merit, not need, not fairness. And the cherry on top? The masterminds behind it are still clocking in at the USDA, probably sipping Starbucks coffee and dreaming up the next way to stick it to the Constitution.

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DOGE cuts mucho dinero from US African Development Foundation

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been sniffing out some serious government waste, and they're not afraid to take a bite out of it. In their latest announcement on X, DOGE revealed they've slashed $51 million from the U.S. African Development Foundation's budget, and the details are juicier than a pineapple in Benin.

Apparently, our tax dollars were being used to fund some real head-scratchers, like $229,296 to market "100% organic shea butter in Burkina Faso" and $239,738 for "marketing pineapple juice in Benin." 

I mean, I love a good smoothie as much as the next guy, but I'm not sure why American taxpayers need to foot the bill for it. And don't get me started on the $246,217 spent on "mango drying facilities in the Ivory Coast" – sounds like a real tropical boondoggle.

But wait, there's more! There's always more.

DOGE also uncovered $99,566 spent on "increasing yogurt production in Uganda," $84,059 for "a business incubator for spa and wellness entrepreneurs in Nigeria," $50,000 to "train farmers how to grow dragon fruit in Senegal," and $48,406 for "a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya." 

I don't know about you, but I feel so much better knowing my hard-earned money is going toward dragon fruit and WhatsApp bots.

Led by Elon Musk, DOGE is a temporary White House group created by executive order earlier this year. President Trump gave them 18 months to whip the federal government into shape, and they're clearly not messing around. Just last month, they axed 113 contracts worth a cool $4.7 billion, including a $145,000 USDA consulting gig for "Peru climate change activities." 

Adios, amigos!

But the cuts didn't stop there – DOGE also nixed $10 million for "gender equity in the Mexican workplace," $12.2 million for "worker empowerment in South America," and $6.25 million for "improving respect for workers' rights in agricultural supply chains" in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Oh, and they've been busy canceling DEI initiatives, consulting contracts, leases for empty federal buildings, and redundant agencies left and right.

As of Monday, DOGE is claiming they've saved us $140 billion – that's about $870 per taxpayer. Not too shabby for a group that's only been around for a few months. Keep sniffing out that waste, DOGE – we salute you! And keep protesting the DOGE's efforts to eliminate waste and fraud--the GOP appreciates your willingness to lose the trust of the normal American people.

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USDA Investigating CA for gener mutilation of kids and hiding gender identity

The US Department of Agriculture is working with the Department of Education in an investigation of California's state law prohibiting school officials from sharing a child's "gender identity" with parents, The Daily Wire reported exclusively.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins informed California Governor Gavin Newsom of the move in a letter sent Thursday evening, the outlet reported.

“This is to inform you that, at the direction of President Donald J. Trump, the United States Department of Agriculture is undertaking a review of its research and other education-related funding in California for compliance with the Constitution, federal laws including Titles VI and IX, and the priorities of the Trump Administration,” Rollins wrote.

Rollina tols Newsom that her department will work with other agencies to ensure the sate is in compliance with the U.S. Constitution, federal laws (including Titles VI and IX), as well as the administration's priorities.

The USDA is supporting the DOE’s investigation into the California Department of Education for violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

“As the ED reported today, FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records, but the California Department of Education has allegedly abdicated the responsibilities FERPA imposes, due to a new California state law that prohibits school personnel from disclosing records about a child’s ‘gender identity’ to that child’s parent,” Rollins wrote.

Why it's almost as if the state of California wants to be the 'parent' that raises California's children.

“USDA will support ED’s investigation and efforts to vigorously protect parents’ rights and ensure that students do not fall victim to a radical transgender ideology that often leads to family alienation and irreversible medical interventions,” she added, adding: “Similarly, we will be reviewing our federal funding with respect to other related matters under investigation.”

The move comes almost immediately after the Education Department’s Student Privacy Policy Office announced an investigation into the California Department of Education (CDE) for “alleged violations” of FERPA, which “gives parents the right to access their children’s educational data.”

C'mon--what gives parents the right to know what's going on in their child's life? Who do they think they are anyway . . . teachers?

The Education Department said Thursday that CDE has “abdicated the responsibilities FERPA imposes” due to California’s law prohibiting school officials from sharing information about a child’s supposed “gender identity” with parents. 

In a release, the department said that it has reason to believe that numerous local educational agencies in California may be violating FERPA as they socially transition kids in school and hide their activities from parents. While this doesn't constitute the death penalty, it should result in a serious period of incarceration.

Given the number of local educational agencies involved, the Education Department said, it is concerned that CDE is playing a role in the “widespread adoption of these practices.”

“Teachers and school counselors should not be in the business of advising minors entrusted to their care on consequential decisions about their sexual identity and mental health. That responsibility and privilege lies with a parent or trusted loved one,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement on Thursday. “It is not only immoral but also potentially in contradiction with federal law for California schools to hide crucial information about a student’s wellbeing from parents and guardians.”

“The agency launched today’s investigation to vigorously protect parents’ rights and ensure that students do not fall victim to a radical transgender ideology that often leads to family alienation and irreversible medical interventions,” she added.

California schemin' on such a pleasant day.

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