Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison testified Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee regarding their administration's response to a major welfare fraud scandal in the state.

House Republicans, led by Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, questioned the officials about their handling of fraud within Minnesota's social services programs. The hearing focused on the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case, which involved the misuse of federal funds intended for child nutrition programs.

Comer accused Walz and Ellison of inadequate response to the fraud allegations, while House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan questioned Walz about statements his administration made regarding the resumption of funding to programs later found to be fraudulent. House Oversight Republicans previously released a 53-page report examining the state's handling of the case.

Walz acknowledged that the fraud "happened on my watch" but defended his administration's actions, denying that officials ignored or covered up fraud allegations. Both Walz and Ellison maintained that they responded appropriately to the fraud cases when they became aware of them.

The hearing grew contentious at times, with Republican lawmakers pressing the Minnesota officials on their timeline of responses and decision-making processes related to the fraud investigation. The case has drawn significant attention as it involves substantial amounts of federal taxpayer funds and has become a political flashpoint.