Impeachment Hearings for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison Set to Begin Next Week

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House is scheduled to hold impeachment hearings next week for Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, marking a significant escalation in the long-running investigation into the state’s massive welfare fraud scandal.

Republican lawmakers formally introduced articles of impeachment against both officials in early March 2026. The resolutions accuse Walz and Ellison of “corrupt conduct” in office, violating their constitutional oaths, and failing to protect taxpayer dollars despite repeated warnings about widespread fraud in state-administered social service programs.

The hearings, expected to begin around April 15, 2026, will focus on allegations that Walz and Ellison knew about systemic fraud in programs such as Feeding Our Future and other federal assistance initiatives as early as 2019, yet failed to take meaningful action to stop it. House Republicans claim the two leaders also retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns and misled the public about the scope of the problem.

The fraud scandal has become one of the largest in state history. Federal prosecutors have described how criminals allegedly stole hundreds of millions — and possibly billions — of dollars meant for child nutrition, housing assistance, and healthcare for low-income and disabled Minnesotans. One federal report estimated that up to $9 billion in federal funds may have been placed at risk or lost due to inadequate oversight.

Republicans argue that Walz and Ellison’s inaction and alleged cover-up constitute impeachable offenses under Minnesota’s constitution. No governor in Minnesota history has ever been successfully impeached and removed from office.

Democrats have pushed back strongly, calling the impeachment effort politically motivated retaliation by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. Walz and Ellison have maintained that they took appropriate steps to address fraud once it was identified and that the scale of the problem was not fully known until federal investigations intensified.

The upcoming hearings will likely feature testimony from whistleblowers, state auditors, and possibly Walz and Ellison themselves. Republicans control the House, giving them the ability to advance the resolutions, but any actual removal from office would require a high threshold and support from the state Senate.

The proceedings are expected to draw national attention as one of the most significant political battles in Minnesota in recent years. The outcome could have major implications for both Walz’s political future and the balance of power in the state ahead of the 2026 elections.