Small Business Administration & Pandemic Aid Oversight

House Oversight Chair James Comer has scheduled a Jan. 7 hearing into Minnesota social‑services fraud and alleges Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison not only ignored but retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns, inviting both to testify and lining up state GOP legislators as witnesses; Comer says dozens have been charged (he cited 98 defendants, many reportedly Somali) and that state appointees suppressed fraud. Federal enforcement — including ICE executing warrants and DHS launching a "massive operation" while ICE probes possible criminal and overseas terrorist links — accompanies congressional and SBA scrutiny of as much as $9 billion in alleged abuse across daycare, Medicaid and food‑assistance programs, even as Ellison calls the hearing political and a private complainant has filed a state criminal complaint accusing Walz of daycare‑related misconduct.