Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is trying hard to distance herself and her U.S. Senate campaign from the massive fraud scandal that ended Gov. Tim Walz's political career and may also end Attorney General Keith Ellison's. More than $9 billion in taxpayer dollars was stolen by fraudsters, many of them Somali, with some of that money going back to Somalia, where it funded the Islamic terror group Al-Shabaab.

The media are trying to help Flanagan, too. A recent story in the Star Tribune made no mention of Flanagan, even though she's worked closely with Walz as part of his administration.

But no amount of media spin can hide the facts. Flanagan is friends with Nimco Ahmed, who is now facing investigations for fraud related to fake autism centers, and Flanagan gave an "Outstanding Refugee" award to a fraudster tied to the "Feeding Our Future" scandal.

And this: Peggy Flanagan endorsed State Rep. Hodan Hassan, a Somali immigrant who tried to funnel millions to Somali fraudsters.

In 2022, Flanagan endorsed Hassan, who introduced bills to direct $7.5 million to Somali Community Resettlement Services (SCRS). Prosecutors say SCRS received over $1 million from the "Feeding Our Future" fraud scheme, and that it sponsored eight distribution sites that falsely claimed to serve thousands of meals to children daily.

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That same year, SCRS operated Youth Leadership Academy's largest sites in Faribault, Rochester, and Owatonna. Minnesota's Department of Education shut down the Youth Leadership Academy for participating in the "Feeding Our Future" fraud scheme. One month later, the FBI raided sites associated with "Feeding Our Future."

The SCRS was also operating sites for the Partners in Nutrition network, another fraud group that was suspended.

Despite SCRS being linked to the largest fraud scandal in Minnesota history, Hassan repeatedly introduced bills in 2024 to direct millions to SCRS. This includes HF 5243 and HF 5205 in April 2024 and HF 4719 in March 2024.

Meanwhile, Flanagan ignored the red flags of fraud for years and gave Hodan Hassan her endorsement. 

Hassan announced in February 2024 that she would not seek reelection, just months before SCRS sites began appearing in court documents linking the organization to the "Feeding Our Future" fraud scandal.

But this isn't the first time Flanagan has thrown her support behind the Somali fraudsters. In a visit to a Somali market during the height of the fraud scandal, Flanagan wore a hijab in solidarity with the Somali community; she also called them the "fabric" of the community. The person standing next to her in that photo is Nimco Ahmed.

Flanagan is fundraising with Dr. Nathan Chomilo, the state's Medicaid medical director, who was "enveloped" in fraud. Dr. Chomilo is listed as one of the hosts of an October 1 fundraiser for Flanagan.

Even Democrats know Flanagan is refusing to take accountability for all the fraud that happened on her watch.

"The Lt. Gov. continues to shift every bit of the blame to the governor for the fraud that has occurred in Minnesota," said U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, a Democrat who ran against Flanagan in the Senate primary.

"I don't think she's taking appropriate accountability," Craig said in another interview. 

In a third interview, Craig continued hammering Flanagan: "She is going to have to accept accountability."

It's clear, however, that Flanagan has no intention of taking accountability for her actions. Voters in Minnesota deserve a Senator who does.