Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison forcefully denied accusations from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that he assisted individuals involved in a massive fraud scheme, telling lawmakers during a Senate hearing, “I didn’t do it,” and rejecting claims that he helped “defraud the state of $9 billion.”
The exchange unfolded during a hearing examining oversight and accountability related to pandemic-era relief programs, including the Feeding Our Future case. That investigation centers on allegations that operators of a nonprofit organization and affiliated entities fraudulently obtained approximately $250 million through a federal child nutrition program meant to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case has been described as one of the largest pandemic-related fraud schemes in the country.
Watching Keith Ellison getting gutted like a perch by Josh Hawley is deliriously great fun. pic.twitter.com/D8gniQspxT
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) February 12, 2026
Hawley questioned Ellison about a Dec. 11, 2021 meeting at the Minnesota state Capitol with individuals associated with Feeding Our Future. The senator alleged that the group sought assistance in countering scrutiny from state investigators and that Ellison offered to intervene.
“They begged you to help them — and you agreed to it. It’s all on tape,” Hawley said, quoting statements he attributed to Ellison during the meeting. Ellison denied the allegation. “You’re cherry-picking quotes. I didn’t help them,” he said, pushing back on Hawley’s characterization of the conversation.
Hawley further alleged that Ellison accepted $10,000 in campaign contributions from individuals later indicted in the fraud case nine days after the meeting and suggested the timing raised ethical concerns.
“That’s a false statement,” Ellison responded, disputing Hawley’s claim. He also rejected the assertion that his office failed to act on earlier whistleblower complaints about potential fraud.
“I did not help them,” Ellison said. “My team assisted with information that led to the prosecution and conviction of those individuals.”
Hawley countered that federal prosecutors led the case and maintained that Ellison’s office did not initiate the investigation. He pointed to a timeline in which the Dec. 11 meeting was followed by reported campaign donations on Dec. 20 and an FBI search of the organization’s headquarters in January.
Ellison disputed that sequence and rejected the broader accusation that he enabled the fraud. “That is not the sequence of events,” he said, as the exchange grew increasingly confrontational.
The Feeding Our Future investigation has prompted intense scrutiny of Minnesota’s oversight of federally funded programs during the pandemic, when emergency measures and rapid funding distribution were intended to address urgent needs. Lawmakers in both parties have raised concerns about how oversight gaps may have allowed large sums of taxpayer dollars to be misused.
The hearing highlighted ongoing political and legal debates over accountability in the case, as prosecutions continue and questions remain about how such a large-scale scheme was able to operate for an extended period. Ellison’s office maintains that it cooperated with law enforcement authorities and contributed to efforts that ultimately resulted in indictments and convictions.
