NewsMV
Tim Walz told the Minnesota Star-Tribune that the state's fraud crisis should not define his legacy as he prepares to leave office in January, a comment that immediately drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers.
In an interview described as an "exit interview," Walz accepted personal accountability for the scandal, stating that the state failed to stop the fraud sooner and that he would step aside.
The outgoing governor suggested that the financial impact of the scandal has been overstated.
Federal prosecutors have estimated the cost of the fraud at $9 billion, but Walz argued that the total amount of fraud prosecuted and potentially still out there is less than the cost of the White House ballroom, which is expected to cost taxpayers around $300 million.
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