Tim Walz criticises post linking Melissa Hortman's death to fraud scandal

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned President Trump's reshared post that linked the killing of lawmaker Melissa Hortman to a Somali-linked fraud probe; state leaders and Hortman's family called the claim a conspiracy or misinformation and said it risked endangering people.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz publicly rebuked a post President Trump reshared that suggested the killing of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was connected to a fraud scandal. Hortman and her husband were killed over the summer, and authorities have said the person charged was targeting a list of liberal lawmakers and abortion providers. Trump reshared a post on Truth Social that linked Hortman's death to allegations about a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme tied to some Minnesota programs. State leaders and Hortman's family disputed the link and criticised the reshared post. Known details: - Governor Tim Walz called the reshared post "dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States" and said it risked putting people in danger. - President Trump reshared a post on Truth Social suggesting Hortman's killing was connected to alleged fraud involving some Minnesota programs and communities. - Authorities have said the person charged in the shootings, Vance Boelter, was accused of targeting dozens of liberal lawmakers and abortion providers; that account of motive has been reported by investigators. - State leaders, including Democrats and some Republicans, and Hortman's children described the claims as misinformation or a conspiracy theory and asked for the post to be removed or condemned. - Prosecutors and investigators have separately been examining alleged fraud in several Minnesota assistance programs, including charges that Feeding Our Future billed the federal government about $250 million; officials have said many defendants in related cases are Somali and investigators have reported wider suspected improper use of federal funds in multiple programs. Summary: Officials said the reshared post connected Hortman's killing to an unrelated fraud investigation, prompting public condemnation from Governor Walz, other state leaders, and Hortman's family who described the claim as misinformation. Undetermined at this time.