Republican congressional challenger John Nagel is accusing Rep. Ilhan Omar of bearing political responsibility for the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scandal that erupted in Minneapolis and has drawn national scrutiny.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Nagel argued that the origins of the scandal trace back to legislation Omar introduced. He pointed to the 2020 MEALS Act, sponsored by Omar and passed with bipartisan support, which expanded access to free meal programs during the pandemic. According to Nagel, that law created the conditions that allowed fraudulent actors to exploit the system on a massive scale.
Nagel emphasized that the bulk of the alleged fraud occurred within Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which Omar represents and where he is now running against her. He said it raises serious questions that such extensive fraud was concentrated in one district tied directly to legislation she helped craft. Nagel argued that the public deserves transparency regarding who assisted Omar in writing the bill and how oversight failures were allowed to persist.
He further alleged that individuals within Omar’s political and personal orbit benefited from the scheme. According to Nagel, Omar held campaign events at Safari Land, a restaurant later named in the fraud case, had personal familiarity with one of its now-convicted owners, and employed a staffer who was later convicted in connection with the scandal.
