Carville and Al Hunt agree Minnesota fraud scandal is bad, say Walz made right choice to ditch campaign

"Politics War Room" hosts James Carville and Al Hunt agreed that Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., made the right decision to end his re-election campaign amid an emerging welfare-fraud scandal in Minnesota.

Walz announced Monday that he was dropping his bid for a third term as governor amid stinging criticism of his handling of the state's massive welfare assistance fraud scandal. Businesses ranging from daycares to nonprofits allegedly used state policies to take what some estimate to be about $9 billion in taxpayer dollars.

As the co-hosts took questions from listeners, one asked if the Democratic Party would turn Minnesota’s fraud scandal into "another woke debacle" by insisting it was merely a bad faith attack on the Somali community and not a legitimate issue.

"John, if they did that, you’d be absolutely right. I think they’re not going to do that," Hunt said. "I think Tim Walz’s decision not to run for reelection is an important one."

LOEFFLER: VAST NETWORK OF SOMALI NONPROFITS RIPPED OFF MINNESOTA’S WELFARE STATE

Democratic strategist and podcaster James Carville sarcastically joked that he is going out on a limb by saying that fraud is indeed bad. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images for The New York Times)

He went on to note a recent piece he read from The Bulwark, saying that while the suspects in these scandals are not all Somali, "they certainly played a role," adding, "It really is a bad scandal. It can’t be swept under the rug. And I think it’s really important now that Democrats, as well as Republicans, acknowledge that and go after it. The way the previous U.S. attorney did. The current U.S. attorney is doing that, and anyone who wants to downplay it, I think, is making a huge mistake."

"I agree," Carville said. "And what I hear all the time in media is, ‘Well, they say that you can’t talk about this issue, this issue is being under-covered.’ Well, you’re covering it right now."

The Democratic strategist went on to mock the idea that the story had been swept under the rug, sarcastically joking as if it were a brave thing to condemn fraud. "It’s been all over the media," Carville said. "But the greatest boogieman is to say, ‘They won’t allow you to say this, but fraud is bad!’ I will just go out and say this."

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Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota announced on Monday that he's dropping his bid for a third term as governor amid stinging criticism of the unsuccessful 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee's handling of his state's massive welfare assistance fraud scandal. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

"Now, you can’t say this in modern America, but I’m courageous enough to tell you: fraud is bad," Carville continued to joke. "Fraud is even bad when it’s in Minnesota. Yes. Listen to me — Fraud is bad, I’m courageous."

Carville then appeared to take a more serious tone as he addressed Walz’s decision to scrap his bid for a third term, but argued that at least part of the scandal is probably somewhat exaggerated.

"But I think that the governor did make the right decision. I just would bet anybody — Yes, there’s something here. At the end of the day, I would bet anybody — without knowing anything other than history — that something will be — that will not be the magnitude of what we’re told."

When Hunt noted that a local newspaper had been covering the scandal in Minnesota for years, Carville joked that he is merely raining on the parade of an exciting news story.

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James Carville suggested that while some of the fraud may end up being embellished, this does appear to be a legitimate scandal for the state. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Politicon)

"You always want to come with your stupid a-- facts, and no one wants to hear that," Carville joked, appearing to make fun of conservatives. "We want our story! They've just let this go and Minnesota got caught up in a twirl of communism and, I don't know… s---."

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"James, I love woke," Hunt joked sarcastically, playing into the bit. "I just love woke."