{"id":2531012,"date":"2026-01-07T13:58:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/summer-lee-and-comer-fight-over-who-failed-in-minnesota-fraud-hearing\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:59:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:59:49","slug":"summer-lee-and-comer-fight-over-who-failed-in-minnesota-fraud-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/summer-lee-and-comer-fight-over-who-failed-in-minnesota-fraud-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Lee and Comer fight over who &#8216;failed&#8217; in Minnesota fraud hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsummer-lee-and-comer-fight-over-who-failed-in-minnesota-fraud-hearing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2531012&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) clashed during the committee&#8217;s first hearing on the Minnesota fraud scandal. Lee accused Republicans of &#8220;cherry-picking&#8221; a blue state and an immigrant population, and said President Trump has undermined oversight by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-executive-strategy-tests-presidential-powers-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Trump\u2019s executive strategy tests presidential powers ... Washington Examiner\">firing inspectors general<\/a> and targeting whistleblowers; Comer countered that inspectors general have failed to identify fraud. The back-and-forth escalated into a heated exchange before decorum was restored. Testimony came from former special counsel Brendan Ballou and several Republican state representatives, and Comer has invited Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison to testify on Feb. 10. The committee &#8211; split along party lines &#8211; has expanded its investigation with transcribed interviews of state officials, requests for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fncs-carlson-if-youre-looking-for-election-rigging-look-no-further-than-media-treatment-of-hunter-biden-saga\/\" title=\"FNC&#039;s Carlson: &#039;If You&#039;re Looking for Election Rigging, Look No Further&#039; Than Media Treatment of Hunter Biden Saga\">suspicious activity reports<\/a>, and a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Summer Lee and Comer fight over who &lsquo;failed&rsquo; in Minnesota fraud hearing<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2464205\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>House Oversight Chairman <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-comer\/\">James Comer<\/a> (R-KY) and Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) engaged in a heated back-and-forth during the first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hearing\/\">hearing<\/a> on the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota-fraud\/\">Minnesota fraud scandal<\/a> on Wednesday after Lee accused Republicans of &ldquo;cherry picking&rdquo; the state&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senator-demands-probe-of-atf-over-9-million-in-fraudulent-payments-to-employees\/\" title=\"Senator calls for investigation into ATF&#039;s M ...ulent payments to staff.\">massive fraud scandal<\/a> over other instances of fraud in the nation. <\/p>\n<p>Lee, while questioning former special counsel Brendan Ballou, accused President Donald Trump of attacking the country&rsquo;s oversight mechanisms.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4409526\/kai-trump-wants-republicans-democrats-meet-in-middle\/\">KAI TRUMP WANTS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TO &lsquo;MEET IN THE MIDDLE&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4409524\/mike-johnson-first-speaker-address-uk-parliament-independence-anniversary\/\">Mike Johnson to address UK Parliament ahead of independence anniversary<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4408625\/takeaways-democrats-hearing-five-year-anniversary-jan-6\/\">Five takeaways from Democrats&rsquo; hearing on Jan. 6 anniversary<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4408113\/lawmakers-mourn-loss-of-doug-lamalfa\/\">Lawmakers mourn loss of Doug LaMalfa<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;He illegally <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/trump-fires-17-independent-watchdogs-multiple-agencies-late\/story?id=118097873\">fired 17 inspectors general<\/a> and other key personnel,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;He goes after whistleblowers, and he tries to roll back their protections. He routinely ignores the rampant corruption within his own administration.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>She continued, &ldquo;Republicans have turned a blind eye to all of this. They have held no hearings on these actions, and this hearing today isn&rsquo;t even about fraud generally within the federal benefits system, which we would welcome. Republicans have cherry-picked a blue state and an immigrant population vulnerable to demonize. To be clear, Minnesota is not the only state with a fraud problem.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>After Lee yielded back to Comer, the chairman addressed her comments about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-lawsuits-against-a-presidents-power-to-fire-federal-officials\/\" title=\"The Lawsuits Against A President\u2019s Power To Fire Federal Officials\">fired inspector generals<\/a> by saying, &ldquo;Miss Lee, the IGs are hired to identify fraud. They haven&rsquo;t identified fraud. The IGS have failed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Lee clapped back, &ldquo;You all have failed,&rdquo; leading into a screaming match between the two.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You have the gavel, Mr. Comer,&rdquo; Lee responded to Comer, who said Democrats have failed. &ldquo;We barely do hearings on anything that actually affects change.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You want to spend more money, more money, more money,&rdquo; Comer responded before someone in the room called decorum, ending the feud between the two. <\/p>\n<p>Republicans and Democrats have been split along party lines in the hearing as both parties point fingers at who is at fault for the purported fraud. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4409524\/mike-johnson-first-speaker-address-uk-parliament-independence-anniversary\/\">MIKE JOHNSON TO ADDRESS UK PARLIAMENT AHEAD OF INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first hearing also heard testimony from state Reps. Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson, and Marion Rarick, all of whom are Republicans. Comer has invited Walz and Ellison to testify on Feb. 10.<\/p>\n<p>This hearing comes after the committee expanded its investigation, calling on state officials to testify in closed-door, transcribed interviews, while also <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >requesting suspicious activity reports<\/a> from Treasury Secretary&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/scott-bessent\/\">Scott Bessent<\/a>, along with a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lee and Comer clash over Minnesota fraud blame<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2531013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-1khczx7r2-1767805733647-e1767805821222.jpg?1767787811&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[70328,40726,5698,52826,39240],"class_list":["post-2531012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-fraud-hearing","tag-james-comer","tag-minnesota","tag-political-dispute","tag-summer-lee"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-1khczx7r2-1767805733647-e1767805821222.jpg?1767787811&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2531012"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2531016,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2531012\/revisions\/2531016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2531013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2531012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2531012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2531012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}