Dear Friend, 

It is no secret that we Minnesotans pay an exorbitant amount of state and local taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, Minnesota has the 8th highest per capita state and local tax collections in the United States.

This level of taxation demands strict accountability and oversight.

Last year, it was revealed that Feeding Our Future, a program intended for families and children in need, stole more than $250 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. Instead of serving hungry children, this money was used to purchase real estate and properties overseas, luxury vehicles, planes and boats.

That’s why we have repeatedly demanded answers regarding this gross mismanagement of taxpayer funds.

In conjunction with members of the Minnesota Republican Delegation, we promptly initiated a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in September 2022 seeking information. Our request went unanswered.

Earlier this year, we followed up with Secretary Vilsack requesting the same information; we have yet to receive an adequate response.

We are not giving up. Earlier this month, the same group of members sent an additional request for information to the Minnesota Department of Education regarding its involvement in and oversight of what is being deemed the “largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation.”

Minnesotans deserve answers and expect their tax dollars to be spent wisely. We will continue to do our work to hold those responsible to account and prevent this kind of abuse from ever happening again.

Sincerely,