FIRST ON FOX: North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is facing renewed accusations of being “soft on crime” after critics pointed to the January murder of a teacher by a career criminal who had been released after a Cooper-appointed judge reduced his charges and allowed him back on the streets.

Cooper is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is retiring, setting up what is expected to be one of the most competitive races this midterm cycle. Democrats view North Carolina as a key pickup opportunity as Cooper faces Republican candidate Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman.

Ever since the killing of Iryna Zarutska by a career criminal last summer, Cooper and North Carolina’s criminal justice system have faced mounting scrutiny from critics who argue repeat offenders are too often cycled back onto the streets.

“Roy Cooper is a soft-on-crime lunatic who lets monsters out of prison instead of fighting to keep North Carolinians safe,” Republican National Committee Spokesperson Emma Hall said. “Cooper’s record has deadly consequences, and he owes every victim and their family an apology for his failure to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.”

CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER FRONT AND CENTER IN CRUCIAL 2026 SENATE BATTLE: ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES’

Those concerns are now resurfacing following the brutal killing of Raleigh science teacher Zoe Welch that critics say may have been preventable.

Welch was found dead in her home in January, and an autopsy revealed she died from blunt force trauma to the head. Her accused murderer, Ryan Camacho, was facing four charges of breaking and entering in April 2025. However, despite having 20 prior arrests, Durham District Court Judge Dorothy Hairston Mitchell reduced his charges to a misdemeanor, allowing Camacho to walk free.

Mitchell was appointed by Cooper in 2021 to serve as District Court Judge in District 14. In a press release announcing Mitchell’s appointment, Cooper praised her, stating that she would lead with “dedication and fairness.”

LENIENT JUDGES IGNORE RED FLAGS, CAVE TO SOFT-ON-CRIME PRESSURES AS THEY RELEASE REPEAT OFFENDERS: ATTORNEY

At the time, Mitchell was appointed to replace Brian Wilks, but she won election to the position in November 2022. Now, his office is distancing Cooper from Mitchell’s judgeship.

“To be clear, this judge was elected to her position,” a spokesperson for Cooper’s campaign told Fox News Digital.

The spokesperson added that “while Roy spent his career putting rapists and violent criminals behind bars, Michael Whatley spent his appointing a convicted child sex predator who served time in prison for multiple counts of felony child sex crimes to a powerful position within the North Carolina Republican Party.”

In 2021 and 2024, Whatley, then with the North Carolina GOP, appointed convicted child sex offender Harvey Lee West to the state’s Plan of Organization Committee. In 1999, West pleaded guilty to statutory rape of three girls, two 14-year-olds and one 16-year-old. West claimed that he had been open and honest about his criminal past with North Carolina party leadership.

NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKERS PASS ‘IRYNA’S LAW’ TO ELIMINATE CASHLESS BAIL AFTER CHARLOTTE TRAIN STABBING

Cooper’s campaign points to his 16 years as North Carolina’s attorney general, along with legislation he signed as governor—such as a law making it easier to prosecute drug dealers who sell fatal doses—as evidence of his strong support for law enforcement.

But under Cooper’s watch, 3,500 inmates were released over a 180-day period in 2021 as part of a settlement agreement with civil rights groups who sued the state over inmates dying of Covid-19. Some of the inmates released were convicted of serious offenses against children and sexual assault.

Five hundred sixty inmates released during the Cooper administration were arrested on new charges within two years of their release. Among those released was Tyrell Brace, who was later charged with first-degree murder in the killing of young father Elante Thompson in Charlotte.

Another individual released was Jimmie Speight, who had been convicted of indecent liberties with a child and failure to register as a sex offender and was released just under nine months early. In 2023, he was sentenced to more than 32 years in prison for second-degree murder.

Senators will now go without pay during future shutdowns in a bid to instill the same pain on lawmakers that federal workers have felt several times in recent months. 

The upper chamber unanimously passed a resolution to prevent senators from being paid in the event of a shutdown in a move that could thwart future closures by making the consequences real for lawmakers. 

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who pushed the measure, argued that preventing lawmakers from collecting a paycheck was a “shared sacrifice” after tens of thousands of federal employees went without pay during the two shutdowns that have happened since last year. 

SCHUMER BACKS GOP’S PLAN TO BRING THE PAIN DURING FUTURE SHUTDOWNS: ‘I’M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT’

“Last October, we shut down the government for 43 days. That is the longest shutdown in history. And we had FBI agents, national park rangers, CDC scientists, our staff here in Congress — nobody was getting paid,” Kennedy said on the Senate floor.

“And then, three months later, after we finally got out of that 43-day shutdown, we shut down the Department of Homeland Security. It was shut down for 76 days. This is all in one year,” he continued. “We ought to hide our heads in a bag. It’s got to stop.” 

Both shutdowns led to real-world effects on Americans, particularly those traveling through the nation’s airports, as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers went without pay during both record-shattering closures.

SENATE TAKES MAJOR FIRST STEP TO PREVENT FUTURE SHUTDOWNS WITH PAINFUL ACCOUNTABILITY PLAY

Kennedy’s resolution, which applies only to senators, would direct the secretary of the Senate to withhold lawmakers’ pay until a shutdown is resolved. Effectively, their paychecks would be thrown into escrow while lawmakers hash out a deal to reopen the government. 

Once a shutdown ends, the money will flow again.

A rank-and-file senator earns $174,000 per year, while a leader of either party can earn over $193,000.

SENATE REPUBLICANS BALK AT $1B WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM REQUEST: ‘YOU MADE THAT NUMBER UP’

It’s one of many moves lawmakers have made during and after the pair of historic shutdowns to make shuttering the government a self-inflicted wound, or prevent shutdowns from happening altogether. 

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has a bill backed by federal labor unions that would ensure federal workers were paid during a shutdown, while Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., has a bill that would prevent shutdowns altogether by automatically but temporarily extending funding for two weeks at a time.

It comes after the notion of shuttering the government was, for several decades, an option of last resort. But the last year has shown that Senate Democrats are willing to use the consequential tool as a political cudgel.

Despite having the blessing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Republicans aren’t convinced that the top Senate Democrat and his caucus will not try to shut the government down again before the midterm elections. 

Notably, Kennedy’s resolution wouldn’t kick in until after the upcoming election cycle in November, meaning that lawmakers would still skirt having their paychecks withheld.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he expects to have a “long talk” with Chinese President Xi Jinping about Iran this week, an issue now looming over a summit that was originally expected to focus heavily on trade, technology and Taiwan.

“It was a fantastic day,” Trump said Thursday during a state banquet of his welcome to China and his initial round of meetings. “And in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome … and for so graciously hosting us on this very historic state visit. We had positive and productive conversations and meetings today with the Chinese delegation earlier. And this evening is another cherished opportunity to discuss among friends some of the things that we discussed today.”

Instead of arriving in Beijing with the Middle East conflict behind him, Trump faces the added challenge of confronting Xi over China’s ties to Tehran while trying to preserve leverage in one of the world’s most consequential relationships.

China’s role as a top buyer of Iranian oil has long frustrated U.S. officials. But with Trump now trying to choke off Tehran’s economic lifeline, Beijing’s support for Iran is no longer a side issue.

TRUMP DELAYS XI MEETING AS IRAN CONFLICT LETS US STRONG-ARM CHINA’S OIL SUPPLY

Ahead of the summit, Trump also appeared to downplay the extent to which Iran would dominate the talks, telling reporters before departing for Beijing that “we have a lot of things to discuss” and adding, “I wouldn’t say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control.”

China purchases roughly 90% of Iran’s exported oil, making Beijing Tehran’s primary economic lifeline — though Iranian crude accounts for only about 13% to 15% of China’s total oil imports.

The Trump administration has ramped up pressure by imposing secondary sanctions on Chinese refiners processing Iranian oil — a move that threatens to cut those firms off from the U.S. financial system and underscores how the Iran conflict is increasingly colliding with the broader U.S.-China relationship.

During the first bilateral meeting between Trump and Xi Thursday morning, the Chinese president expressed interest in buying more American energy. 

“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” a White House official said in a readout of the meeting.

“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future,” the official continued. “Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

Beijing, in turn, ordered Chinese companies not to comply with those sanctions, a far more direct confrontation with Washington than China has typically embraced in past disputes, where it has often quietly worked around U.S. pressure.

Even as Beijing publicly urged firms to ignore the U.S. sanctions, Chinese regulators quietly instructed major banks to suspend new lending to several sanctioned refineries, according to a Bloomberg report, a sign Beijing was trying to shield its financial system from exposure to U.S. secondary sanctions rather than openly escalate the standoff.

TRUMP TARGETS IRANIAN OIL WITH SANCTIONS, INCREASING PRESSURE ON ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TO MAKE DEAL ON NUKES

Elaine Dezenski, who heads the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Iran conflict is “quietly changing China’s strategic calculus.”

“Thus far, China has weathered the economic disruption of the Iran conflict reasonably well,” Dezenski said during an FDD media briefing previewing the summit. But she noted Beijing has been forced to draw on strategic oil and gas reserves originally intended for a potential Taiwan contingency.

The dynamic has fueled debate in Washington over whether the Iran conflict ultimately weakens Trump’s hand with Beijing by pulling U.S. resources back toward the Middle East — or whether it instead highlights China’s own vulnerabilities.

Craig Singleton, senior director of FDD’s China Program, argued Beijing has little interest in allowing the conflict to spiral further.

“China does not want a wider Middle East war,” Singleton said. “It does not want sustained energy disruption.”

Even if China is better positioned than many countries to absorb short-term shocks, Singleton argued Beijing ultimately wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened because “China’s export economy depends on predictable energy, transport and insurance conditions.”

But the Trump administration’s campaign against Iran is increasingly running through Chinese interests — transforming what had been a regional conflict into a direct point of friction between the world’s two largest powers.

“President Trump, when you go to China, realize that the person you’re talking to is propping up Russia and Iran,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, adding that “of all the countries on the planet, China could have the most influence of ending this war if they chose to.”

U.S. officials have also accused Chinese and Hong Kong-based entities of helping Iran procure materials tied to its missile and drone programs, further deepening tensions between Washington and Beijing over Tehran.

“China always acts prudently and responsibly on the export of military products, and exercises strict control in accordance with China’s laws and regulations on export control and due international obligations,” Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Fox News Digital. “China opposes groundless smear and ill-intentioned association. Regarding the situation in Iran, China has repeatedly articulated its solemn position. The pressing priority is to make every effort to prevent by all means a relapse in fighting, rather than exploiting the conflict to maliciously smear other nations.”

Analysts say Trump is unlikely to secure a dramatic breakthrough from Beijing on Iran, but could push Xi to quietly pressure Tehran to avoid further disruptions to global energy markets.

Chinese cooperation could come with expectations of concessions elsewhere in the U.S.-China relationship, even if Beijing’s actual influence over Tehran is limited.

Other experts cautioned against overestimating Beijing’s ability — or willingness — to deliver Iran.

“I would be very careful about making concessions … for some kind of promise that they’re going to whisper in the ears of their friends in Iran,” said Sarah Cook, a senior fellow at CEPA.

Despite China’s economic importance to Iran, experts note Tehran’s decision-making is driven heavily by ideology and regime survival — factors Beijing cannot fully control.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks told Fox News on Thursday he is resigning, effective immediately. 

“It’s just time,” Banks told Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin. 

“I feel like I got the ship back on course from the least secure, disastrous, chaotic border to the most secure border this country has ever seen,” he said. “Time to pass the reigns, 37 years, it’s time to enjoy the family and life.”

Banks has previously detailed his upbringing in the small town of Warner Robins, Georgia. He said he was raised primarily by his grandmother, who was on a fixed income, as his single mother struggled to raise his two older half-sisters.

To help his grandmother pay the bills, Banks said he began working full-time in the summers and part-time during the school year picking peaches, working alongside migrant farmworkers. According to an interview published on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website, Banks said the experience had given him a deep sense of humility and compassion, teaching him what it takes to support a family.

Banks enlisted in the military at 17 years old and served for a decade in both combat and peacetime, overseas and in the U.S., primarily in law enforcement roles.

After hearing stories from Border Patrol agents, Banks applied to the agency in 2000.

Over his 23 years in the Border Patrol, Banks held numerous leadership positions and worked in many units, including ATVs, horse patrol, bikes, boats, tunnel team, investigations and prosecutions.

Frustrated by what he described as the “destruction” of morale and border security during the first two years of the Biden administration, Banks retired from the Border Patrol and went to work for the state of Texas. 

He said he watched the situation deteriorate further before returning to lead the agency as chief under the second Trump administration.

It is unclear who will replace him.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

The U.S. is producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told lawmakers Thursday, as officials warned of a rapidly expanding Chinese arsenal and growing nuclear threats from Iran.

“Today, NNSA is delivering more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War,” Wright said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, describing what he called a broader U.S. “nuclear renaissance.”

The ramp-up comes as China undertakes what lawmakers described as an “unprecedented” expansion of its nuclear forces, raising concerns in Washington about a shifting global balance of power.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., warned that Beijing is moving beyond a minimum deterrence posture and building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear arsenal under Chinese President Xi Jinping.

CHINA DIRECTS LARGEST MILITARY BUILD-UP SINCE 1930S NAZI GERMANY, EXPERT WARNS, CITING PENTAGON REPORT

“China’s building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear force,” Wicker said, pointing to the rapid construction of hundreds of new missile silos, expanded mobile missile systems, ballistic missile submarines, and investments in long-range bombers. “All of these measures flow from and to a strategy designed to surpass the United States in the coming decade.”

Wicker said China’s nuclear buildup is unfolding alongside a broader push to translate economic strength into military advantage, including dominance in shipbuilding, critical minerals and key dual-use technologies.

“Deterrence is expensive, but this is a competition we cannot afford to lose,” he said.

For decades, China maintained a relatively small “minimum deterrent” nuclear posture, but U.S. officials now say Beijing is building a larger and more survivable force across land, sea and air platforms. Pentagon estimates project China’s arsenal could exceed 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030, up from more than 600 today. By comparison, the United States maintains roughly 3,700 active nuclear warheads in its stockpile.

Wright argued the U.S. is responding with a sweeping modernization effort, with seven major warhead programs underway simultaneously to ensure each leg of the nuclear triad remains operational.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, America’s nuclear renaissance is here,” Wright said.

But some lawmakers raised concerns about whether the U.S. nuclear enterprise can sustain that pace.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., warned that the National Nuclear Security Administration is already under strain, particularly after the dismissal of hundreds of trained nuclear personnel last year.

“These experts are exceedingly hard to recruit and retain,” Reed said, noting that the agency previously had roughly 2,000 personnel supporting Pentagon nuclear requirements.

Reed also cautioned that new proposals — including expanded nuclear-powered naval capabilities — could further stretch resources and increase demand for warhead production that the agency is already struggling to meet.

Wicker, meanwhile, criticized the administration for failing to request funding for a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead program, calling it a matter of complying with existing law.

“The United States cannot afford to forego credible, flexible response options while our adversaries’ nuclear forces grow day by day,” he said.

TRUMP ORDERS US NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING TO BEGIN ‘IMMEDIATELY’ AFTER RUSSIA TESTS NEW MISSILES

The hearing also highlighted escalating concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.

During questioning from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Wright said Iran is close to reaching a key threshold.

“They are weeks — a small number of weeks — away to enrich that to weapons grade uranium,” Wright said.

He noted Iran already possesses uranium enriched to 60%, along with significant quantities enriched to 20%, bringing it dangerously close to weapons-grade capability.

“When you’re at 60%, you are … way more than 90% of the way there for the enrichment necessary for weapons grade uranium,” he said. “It’s very concerning.”

Asked whether the U.S. should target Iran’s full stockpile of enriched uranium — estimated at roughly 12 tons — Wright indicated support for an aggressive approach.

PHYSICIST LAWMAKER WARNS US LACKS CLEAR PLAN FOR IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM

“I think that’s the wise strategy. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well,” he said.

The tensions with Iran have also raised concerns about global energy markets, particularly the risk of disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

“A whole administration was well aware of that risk,” Wright said when asked whether the White House anticipated potential fallout.

Pressed on how to mitigate the impact on American households, Wright emphasized restoring global energy flows, saying the U.S. would ensure the free movement of oil through the region “either in a, in an agreement … or without a deal.”

Wright defended the administration’s push for increased funding for nuclear programs, arguing it is critical to restoring U.S. strategic dominance.

“We lost our mojo a bit in designing new weapons and modernizing our weapons,” he said. “It is absolutely essential that every power in the world believes and understands that the United States has the top nuclear arsenal.”

A local Virginia Democrat blasted the Department of Justice’s civil rights probe into Soros-backed Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano as a “hit job” last week.

The department recently launched an investigation into allegations Descano’s office gave preferential treatment to criminal illegal immigrants.

“Given how the Trump administration does their job, I would say it’s likely to be a hit job because that’s what they do,” Fairfax County Supervisor Dan Storck, who represents the Mount Vernon District, said.

The investigation will determine whether “immigration consequences” in charging and plea deals violated federal laws that “prohibit recipients of Federal financial assistance from discriminating based upon race, color, or national origin,” DOJ Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon said in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital.

SOROS-BACKED PROSECUTOR SET FOR CAPITOL HILL GRILLING AS SANCTUARY POLICIES FACE RECKONING

Storck said the probe is another example of the Trump administration targeting people they don’t like.

“They make up stuff and then they go after them,” he said. “I wish I could be more confident in the Department of Justice right now, but I can’t.”

Descano faced backlash after his office repeatedly dropped violent charges and ignored warnings against a suspect later accused of killing Stephanie Minter, a 41-year-old Fredericksburg mother, at a Fairfax bus stop in February. Authorities identified the suspect as Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, who had more than two dozen prior arrests.

Descano responded to the investigation in a separate statement to Fox News Digital, saying his policies are “fair, legal, and reflect the values of my community.”

Storck said repeat offenders should be held accountable, but it’s ultimately up to the courts.

“The key is that we need to address folks who have a history of not abiding by the law and we need to make sure that those individuals have consequences,” he said. “In the end, I realize that’s the courts, but that’s something that I feel very strongly about.”

VIRGINIA DEMS SEND SPANBERGER BILL THAT COULD LET SOME REPEAT OFFENDERS OUT WITHOUT SECURED BOND, EXPERT WARNS

After speaking with Descano, Storck said they both agreed those who break the law should face consequences.

“Steve and I have had several conversations, and he understands the importance to our community to ensure that folks who are consistently not complying with the law are held accountable and let the courts, in my mind, do their job,” he said.

He said the department should focus on “significant and serious” crimes instead of targeting Descano.

“In general, we focus on individuals who either have a criminal history or are engaging in criminal acts that are significant and serious.”

Storck said law enforcement should work with anyone necessary to keep communities safe.

“I work with judges, prosecutors and police because I deeply believe that the people in Mount Vernon District have a right to the enjoyment of their community without risk of violence,” he said.

SEARS DEMANDS RECALL OF FAIRFAX PROSECUTOR AFTER ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING CASE

He said he will continue working to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.

“I’ll always fight hard to ensure that people that are risking that safety and security of the folks in Mount Vernon district are not walking the streets,” he said.

Descano’s campaign has received over $600,000 from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a committee primarily funded by Democratic megadonor George Soros.

Descano and Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid testified on Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement.

Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.

House Democrats split over a resolution backing law enforcement as assaults on officers surged last year.

Just 29 House Democrats on Wednesday voted for a GOP-authored measure paying tribute to the “extraordinary sacrifice” law enforcement officers make and criticizing the defund the police movement for jeopardizing public safety.

Meanwhile, 173 Democrats voted with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., against the resolution, while every GOP lawmaker present supported it.

“We want to take that best practice of respecting law enforcement in Iowa to the nation’s capital, and I was thrilled that we got bipartisan support,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who introduced the measure, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

HANDFUL OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS JOIN REPUBLICANS IN SANCTUARY CITY CRACKDOWN

But the Iowa Republican said he expected his resolution to receive unanimous backing.

“I think it unfortunately puts a real spotlight on a chasm we have between those who support law and order and those who are supporting those who undermine it,” Nunn said.

The vote comes as assaults against law enforcement officers climbed to a 10-year high last year, according to an FBI report released Monday. The number of officers killed saw a slight decrease between 2024 and 2025.

Some Democrats likely objected to language in the resolution that criticized left-wing activists for supporting the defund the police movement and sanctuary city policies for putting officers’ safety at risk. 

“Whereas rhetoric and policies from leftist activists and progressive politicians seek to defund or dismantle local police departments undermine public safety and place both officers and the communities they serve at greater risk,” the resolution states, in part.

Nunn’s measure also credited the Trump administration’s aggressive law and order policies for contributing to a historic reduction in violent crime, including the United States experiencing its lowest homicide rate in more than a century last year.

“We are at a 125-year low for murder rates, 10-year low for drug overdoses,” Nunn told Fox News Digital. “These are things that good community policing, that our law enforcement officers are doing every day, have had a really positive impact.” 

HOUSE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS QUIETLY DISCUSS EXPANDING PERSONAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR LAWMAKERS

The majority of Democrats who supported the resolution are facing competitive re-election contests in November.

However, several vulnerable Democrats, including Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., voted against the measure.

A spokesperson for Vasquez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Reps. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., voted present. 

The vote came during National Police Week, which honors the service and sacrifice of fallen law enforcement officers across the country.

“To the families of those fallen heroes and those who continue to stand guard in our communities: we have your back,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday at a candlelight vigil to commemorate fallen officers. “We’ll continue to advance policies here that support law enforcement and bring justice to those who seek to harm officers.” 

House Republicans are also pitching a slate of anti-crime bills this week, including legislation that would require the attorney general to compile a list of state and local governments that have adopted cashless bail policies. GOP lawmakers have sharply criticized those policies for letting repeat offenders walk free from jail while awaiting trial.

A comprehensive final report released Tuesday by the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee concluding its work for the current session takes aim at a “culture of tolerance” under Gov. Tim Walz that it says allowed serial fraudsters to fleece taxpayers for billions of dollars. 

The 84-page final report, which follows two dozen hearings and hundreds of whistleblower tips, paints a grim picture of state government malfeasance, incompetence and the active suppression of internal warnings. 

The committee concluded that the scale of fraud in Minnesota is “massive and unprecedented,” costing taxpayers an estimated $300 million in federal meal program fraud and up to $9 billion in Medicaid fraud. The report asserts that the total amount stolen across multiple programs, including childcare and SNAP, is significantly higher than previously believed. 

The report cited several examples of what it characterizes as Walz failing to act on fraud, including a situation, reported by Fox News Digital, where he “tried to blame a court order” for failing to stop payments to the Feeding Our Future fraudsters. However, the presiding judge later issued a public statement clarifying that he never ordered the state to resume payments, asserting that the Walz administration did so voluntarily.

MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS

Investigators identified a recurring “business model” used by criminals to fleece taxpayers, which involved low barriers to entry, the use of shell companies and the payment of kickbacks to enroll recipients. The report specifically links the Feeding Our Future scandal to earlier unaddressed fraud in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), suggesting that the failure to stop one led directly to the explosion of the other. 

The report alleges that Governor Walz created a culture that enabled fraud by failing to hold officials accountable despite years of credible whistleblower reports and audits. It claims the administration “ignored and consciously downplayed” shocking levels of fraud across more than a dozen Medicaid waiver programs and prioritized “compassion over compliance.” 

While the committee uncovered numerous findings highlighting the severity of the fraud, they found themselves consistently facing opposition from Democrats, including earlier this month when Democrats on the committee blocked an effort to subpoena Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar for information on her alleged ties to the convicted fraudsters in the Somali community.

COMER SAYS WALZ ‘RETALIATED’ AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS

The report offered a strong critique of Omar, asserting that her MEALS Act “took the guardrails off” federal nutrition programs by allowing for-profit restaurants to participate and permitting “grab-and-go” flexibilities that made it nearly impossible to verify if children were actually being fed by the Feeding Our Future program.

Ultimately, the report concludes that the unprecedented level of fraud was facilitated by poor program design and the active suppression of whistleblower reports, which created a “permission structure” for future wrongdoers.

“The problem all along has been people were afraid to call out the fraud because they were afraid of being called racist, because they were afraid of being called Islamophobic, and now because they’re afraid of going against their political patrons or benefactors,” House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, told Fox News Digital about the reasons why the fraud was allowed to linger for so long.

Robbins says that she reflects back on the committee’s work with pride but acknowledges there is more work to be done.

“I’m proud of the work that the committee has done,” Robbins said.

“We’ve fulfilled our mission of exposing fraud and strengthening internal controls and trying to hold the executive branch officials, the Governor and his agencies, accountable. I think the accountability piece — there’s still a lot to do — but I hope the report contributes to that.”

While the committee’s work for this session is complete, Robbins says she hopes that the committee will be renewed for the next legislative session.

“I hope that the next legislature, which gets elected in November, reconstitutes the fraud committee,” Robbins said. “I don’t want this to be a historic anomaly. We never had a fraud and oversight committee prior to this session, and I hope there will be one in all future sessions. I think no matter who’s in power, it’s an important institutional check.”

Despite the Democratic opposition, Robbins says the “work is still there” and she hopes that federal partners, including Vice President JD Vance’s fraud task force, step in.

 “We have a lot of active investigations based on whistleblower reports that we will continue in this intervening period and I’ll continue to turn things over to our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI,” Robbins said. “And I’ll continue to work with our federal partners at the Department of Treasury, CMS, the new J.D. Vance group, we’re still doing the work, it just, won’t be recorded in a committee meeting anymore.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment.

Education Department Secretary Linda McMahon declared on Thursday that Americans elected President Donald Trump “to sunset” the “education bureaucracy,” asserting that the administration is enacting “education renewal.”

“Americans reelected President Trump with a clear mandate to sunset a 46-year-old, $3-trillion dollar, failed education bureaucracy in D.C. and return authority to where it belongs to parents, teachers and local leaders,” she said during her opening statement before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on Thursday.

“Today I can confidently attest that we are delivering on the vision of educational renewal that for decades many promised, but none delivered,” she added.

The secretary is testifying before the House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing titled, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.”

“We’ve been clear: Shifting authority back to the states will not come at the expense of essential federal support and programs, much of which predate the department itself,” she said.

McMahon added that when President Trump’s “administration makes promises, we keep them. And with your partnership, we will unleash momentous opportunity for every child to realize their God-given potential.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated

FIRST ON FOX: A top Senate Republican is demanding answers on whether taxpayer-backed health providers used federal support to provide gender transition-related services to minors — and whether taxpayers could be footing the bill when former patients sue.

In letters obtained by Fox News Digital, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, asked two Rhode Island health care providers to explain reports saying they provided puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, surgical referrals or related services to patients under 19 years old — and pressed the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on whether federal funding and liability protections are shielding community health centers from accountability.

Cassidy is broadening scrutiny into federally supported health providers accused of providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and related services to “vulnerable patients,” including minors, days before a scheduled Senate hearing looking into alleged gender transition procedures for children and federally funded support for them.

WATCH: DEMS SPAR WITH WHISTLEBLOWER WHO EXPOSED CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR PERFORMING TRANS SURGERIES ON MINORS

“Health care providers are supposed to protect children’s health, not subject them to dangerous sex-change procedures driven by ideology,” Cassidy said in a news release about the new probes. “These entities need to be held accountable to prevent further harm to children.” 

General counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Mike Stuart, referred several federally funded community health centers in February for an inspector general investigation for allegedly providing gender-transition services to children. It was not immediately clear whether the HHS Office of Inspector General has completed or publicly released findings from those referrals. Cassidy’s letter asks Health Resources and Services Administration to detail what enforcement actions, if any, have been taken.

Documents from one of those community health centers, according to materials reviewed by Fox News Digital, describe a pathway for patients under 18 seeking gender-affirming care, including hormones, as long as parental consent is obtained for an initial intake appointment. Another publicly advertises transgender health services, including hormone care, and separately operates an adolescent health program for LGBTQ youth and young adults ages 13 to 24.

Cassidy’s investigation expanded scrutiny of these health centers to two more federally funded healthcare providers, Thundermist Health Center and Hasbro Children’s Hospital, in Rhode Island.

The senator’s probe focuses in part on a federal liability structure that can leave the government on the hook for defending certain malpractice claims.

THE MEDICAL SYSTEM PUSHED TRANSGENDER SURGERY ON KIDS — NOW IT’S FACING LEGAL JUSTICE

In his letter to Health Resources and Services Administration, Cassidy said certain community health centers and their providers may be deemed employees of the U.S. Public Health Service for liability purposes and, when medical malpractice claims arise under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) becomes responsible for defending the cases.

Cassidy argued that framework raises fresh accountability questions as detransition-related lawsuits mount nationwide. In his letters, Cassidy cited several lawsuits in which DOJ has represented community health centers or their providers in litigation involving gender transition-related services.

Community healthcare centers “receive billions of taxpayer dollars from Congress. For fiscal year (FY) 2026 alone, CHCs will receive over $6.3 billion in mandatory and discretionary funding. In addition, the HRSA Health Center Program receives $120 million to administer the FTCA Program,” Cassidy’s letter to HRSA states. “The underlying conduct is concerning and exposes potential gaps in the guardrails governing existing federal funding streams. Furthermore, the current liability framework raises accountability challenges. Patients alleging harm from gender transition-related services may be forced to litigate against the full resources of the federal government, rather than the individual providers responsible for their care, with DOJ defending providers engaged in practices that this administration and HHS have sought to restrict.”

For Thundermist, Cassidy’s letter notes that the center receives mandatory and discretionary grant funding from the federal government, enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, revenue through the 340B drug pricing program and other federal support. The letter says 66% of Thundermist’s fiscal year 2024 grants and contributions revenue came from HHS and the Health Resources and Services Administration. 

Cassidy, meanwhile, highlighted a Rhode Island lawsuit filed by a former patient against Thundermist providers alleging medical malpractice, negligence and lack of informed consent related to gender transition.

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The Hasbro letter raises a similar federal-funding question, but focuses on federal support available to children’s hospitals rather than Health Resources and Services Administration-funded community health centers.

Fox News Digital reached out to Thundermist and Hasbro for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.

At an upcoming HELP Committee hearing, Cassidy is expected to focus on what Republicans describe as the risks of pediatric gender transition procedures and whether federal agencies have done enough to restrict taxpayer support for providers that continue offering them to minors.

The hearing also gives Cassidy a public platform to pressure Health Resources and Services Administration and HHS over whether the agencies have identified which federally funded providers are still offering gender transition-related services to minors, whether any grants have been restricted or terminated, and whether federal liability protections should continue to apply in cases involving those procedures.

Cassidy’s letter to Health Resources and Services Administration asked the agency to respond by May 28 to questions about whether any community health centers are currently providing gender transition-related services, whether those services could affect eligibility for federal funding, and how much taxpayer money has been used to resolve claims involving gender transition-related procedures.

Fox News Digital reached out to HHS about the status of the current inspector general investigations into community healthcare centers over providing gender-transition services to minor but did not hear back in time for publication.