Trump Unleashes New Fraud Dept to Minnesota

Vice President JD Vance announced the creation of a new Department of Justice division to combat fraud nationwide.

As reported by Politico:

Vice President JD Vance announced Thursday the creation of a new position within the Justice Department charged with investigating allegations of “fraud” across the country.

Vance said the new assistant attorney general, who has been selected but so far is unnamed, will initially focus on alleged fraud in Minnesota — but that it will be a “nationwide effort, because unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way.”

A long-running series of fraud allegations in Minnesota have regained national attention recently amid Republican charges that Democratic leaders failed to adequately oversee federal aid programs, primarily having to do with feeding hungry children.

Prosecutors allege that hundreds of millions of dollars intended for nutrition and social services were funneled into false claims, though many cases remain pending. Minnesota officials say the fraud involved specific actors exploiting emergency programs and argue that overheated political rhetoric has overstated the scope of wrongdoing. The renewed focus has prompted congressional scrutiny and funding reviews, intensifying pressure on Gov. Tim Walz, who recently announced he won’t run for reelection, and other Democratic lawmakers in the state.

For a long time now, folks have been demanding accountability. Here it is.

According to Vance, this new role will be solely dedicated to prosecuting fraud. This is not a task force, not a temporary Special Counsel, and not another vaguely defined “czar.” This is a permanent, high-level DOJ official with nationwide jurisdiction. That distinction matters.

As Vance explained, the fraud isn’t confined to one city or one state. So why would this person’s jurisdiction be? While Minnesota certainly seems like ground zero at the moment –and will likely remain the initial focus, at least for now – this position must be able to go wherever fraud is found: red states, blue states, everywhere. Politics shouldn’t be a factor. The American people, as Vance put it, have been defrauded in a nationwide way, and the response needs to match the scale of the problem.

There’s also an important constitutional and procedural piece here. Unlike a Special Counsel, which is often appointed quickly and then challenged endlessly in court, this Assistant Attorney General will be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. That means real oversight, real authority, and real staying power. It also means the process will take time, something that understandably frustrates people who want to see arrests. But it’s crucial to understand that doing this the right way matters.

This role will have the authority to bring cases directly, marshal federal resources, and coordinate investigations across jurisdictions. That’s very different from assigning one U.S. Attorney’s Office to chase fraud that stretches across multiple states. It’s also very different from the “czar” model we’ve seen in the past – positions that generate headlines, hold press conferences, and then quietly fade away without results. This operation appears to be about actual prosecutions, not just performative press releases.

What’s also telling is the public reaction. Across the country, the response has been overwhelmingly the same: Bring it on. People want to know that their tax dollars aren’t being stolen, laundered, or backfilled with fake invoices after the fact. Wanting audits and oversight isn’t partisan. It’s basic accountability. And it’s the least the American people should expect.

ACLJ Attorney Nathan Moelker also joined us on the broadcast, fresh out of court, where he had just argued before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a Texas public school teacher who was prohibited from praying anywhere a student might see her. Yes – anywhere.

As we’ve reported, this case began after See You at the Pole in 2023 and has now stretched nearly two and a half years. Despite winning at the district court level, the school principal chose to appeal, dragging taxpayers along for the ride and forcing this fight to continue.

Nathan reported that the three-judge panel asked sharp, thoughtful questions and appeared to take the religious liberty issues seriously. A decision will likely come in the coming months, and when it does, it won’t just affect one teacher. It could set precedent across the entire Fifth Circuit.

This sort of case is exactly why the ACLJ exists. These cases are long. They’re expensive. And they don’t resolve themselves with a single letter or news cycle. But without this work, unconstitutional policies quietly become “normal,” and fundamental rights disappear by default.

Accountability. Whether for fraud or for constitutional violations, it never just happens by accident. It happens because people are willing to stay in the fight.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of the Vice President’s announcement of a new Assistant Attorney General with the sole purpose of rooting out fraud, as well as more with Nathan regarding this important religious liberty case. We were also joined by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Ric Grenell and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Watch the full broadcast below: