Minnesota State Sen. Michael Holmstrom, Thursday on Newsmax, called allegations of widespread social services fraud a "black eye" for his state, blaming Gov. Tim Walz for failing to stop it and the local media for failing to cover it.
The Republican lawmaker, speaking with Newsmax's "Wake Up America," also predicted the controversy could shift Minnesota politics, saying Republicans were "only in the minority by one vote" in the legislature.
"This is the year that Minnesota turns red," he said.
Holmstrom's comments come after a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley drew national attention to claims of illegal activity and misuse of taxpayer funds in Minnesota, prompting a major federal response.
Holmstrom said that local news outlets have downplayed the story for years.
"It's because the Star Tribune and the local media are a part of the Democrat Party here in Minnesota," he said. "They actually just put out a year-end report of 2025 of all the big stories, and fraud didn't even make the list."
He criticized journalists for not conducting their own on-the-ground reporting.
"If they want questions to be asked on their terms, they should do an investigation, but they don't want to because it makes their friends look bad," he said.
The discussion also turned to an alleged break-in at a daycare featured in the video.
After a daycare manager said paperwork was taken, Holmstrom dismissed claims that the vandalism was politically motivated.
He also addressed reports that Shirley has received death threats, saying retaliation is common when people expose waste and fraud.
"Whenever someone makes ground in here, they get death threats, they get serious death threats, they get swatted, they get retaliation," Holmstrom said.
"Nick Shirley is over the target, and that's the reason they're targeting him right now," he added.
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