Articles of Impeachment Filed Against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Over Massive Fraud Scandal

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is now facing articles of impeachment after Republican State Rep. Mike Wiener formally accused him of enabling and concealing an unprecedented welfare fraud scandal that may have cost taxpayers more than nine billion dollars.

Wiener posted the announcement on Facebook, writing that he had filed the articles in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He accused Walz of corrupt conduct and violating his oath of office, citing four key charges. According to the filing, Walz knowingly ignored widespread fraud in the Department of Human Services, interfered with investigations, put political interests over legal obligations, and failed to enforce laws related to fiscal oversight.

In an interview with Newsweek, Wiener said, “Democrat control of our state has led to nine billion dollars of fraud that we currently know about. Governor Walz said ‘the buck stops with him.’ Since he refused to resign the next step is impeachment.”

The impeachment effort comes in response to explosive findings released last month by U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson, who reported that 14 state programs have been under investigation for years of fraud. The total cost of the programs was eighteen billion dollars, and officials believe half or more of that was stolen. Many of the schemes are tied to shell companies and nonprofits linked to Minnesota’s Somali community.

Thompson said, “Every day we look under a rock and find a new fifty million dollar fraud scheme. That shouldn’t be the case in a state of our size. You don’t see fraud on this scale in other states. Our problem is unique.”

Despite the staggering numbers, Walz has dismissed the reports as sensationalism, claiming there’s no evidence the fraud reached nine billion. But his credibility is under heavy fire, especially after he announced earlier this month that he would not seek reelection.

In his withdrawal statement, Walz pointed the finger at the Trump administration for targeting Minnesota and denied wrongdoing. He described 2025 as an extraordinarily difficult year and blamed federal scrutiny for what he called unfair treatment.

To move forward, the impeachment articles must pass through committees and secure votes in both chambers of the Minnesota legislature. Each party currently holds 67 seats in the Senate. Wiener will need at least one Democrat to vote with him in committee to keep the process alive.

With federal prosecutors continuing to unearth new fraud cases and public outrage mounting, Walz’s refusal to step down may only intensify the political firestorm. The impeachment articles may mark the beginning of a much larger reckoning in Minnesota.