Good Morning.
This weekend’s headlines highlight a growing fraud scandal in Minnesota, scrutiny over how campaign money is spent in Washington, and an increasingly public rift on the right over President Trump’s Iran policy.
Minnesota Fraud Scandal Escalates as Ellison Walks Away
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison abruptly ended an interview this week after being pressed about the massive taxpayer fraud scandals that continue to haunt his state.
The tense exchange came as a reporter questioned Ellison about estimates that billions of dollars may have been lost, stolen, or improperly distributed through various public assistance programs over the past several years. Rather than engage with the figures, Ellison dismissed them as politically motivated and challenged the reporter’s credibility before ending the conversation altogether.
The controversy arrives as pressure continues to mount on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership.
Earlier this month, Vice President JD Vance referred both Ellison and Governor Tim Walz to the Department of Justice for review following a House Oversight Committee investigation into multiple fraud cases involving federal funds. Among the most notorious was the Feeding Our Future scandal that siphoned roughly $250 million from a program intended to feed children.
Congressional investigators have argued that state officials ignored warning signs for years, allowing fraud to flourish across multiple programs. Ellison has denied those accusations, characterizing the referral as a partisan attack.
The questions are likely to persist.
Gallego Faces Questions Over Campaign Spending
Meanwhile, in Arizona, Senator Ruben Gallego is facing uncomfortable questions about how campaign funds have been used to support family travel, child care, and luxury outings.
A new report examining campaign finance records found that Gallego’s political committees paid for travel to destinations including Miami, Chicago, Disneyland, and Disney World. Records also show reimbursements for child care expenses stretching back several years.
Much of the spending appears to fall within existing Federal Election Commission rules. Campaign funds can be used for certain child care expenses and travel connected to campaign activity, and leadership PACs operate under even looser restrictions.
But legality and optics are often two different issues.
Critics argue the spending reflects the increasingly blurred line between political fundraising and personal lifestyle perks. One source familiar with Gallego’s operations told reporters that campaign accounts were being treated as a “personal slush fund” though Gallego rejects the allegation.
The senator, who is widely viewed as a potential contender for higher office in 2028, has defended the expenditures as both legal and commonplace among members of Congress.
Mark Levin’s Public Break With Trump Over Israel
Conservative commentator Mark Levin, who launched publicly attacked President Trump’s handling of Israel and Iran.
Levin accused the administration of pressuring Israel while extending diplomatic openings to Tehran following the recently announced U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. During an extended monologue on his Fox News program, Levin argued that Israel was being unfairly criticized for defending itself against ongoing threats from Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups.
His frustration was directed not only at administration officials but also at Trump himself.
Levin questioned the wisdom of pursuing agreements with a regime he described as fundamentally hostile to both Israel and the United States. He also criticized what he views as inconsistent enforcement mechanisms within the emerging peace framework and suggested Israel’s security concerns are being sidelined in favor of diplomatic optics.
The criticism is significant because until recently both Trump and Levin were vocal allies; particularly after the war started.
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