明尼苏达州州长蒂姆·沃尔兹在多次抨击特朗普政府的同时，承担了处理明尼苏达州欺诈问题失当的责任。
Gov. Tim Walz took responsibility for mishandling fraud in Minnesota even as he took multiple parting shots at the Trump administration.
在周五的《杠杆》播客节目中，沃尔兹表示，他缺乏独立阻止向涉嫌欺诈者付款的权力，需要通过立法行动来获得该权力，但他仍承认，他的政府本应更早采取行动。
During Friday’s episode of "The Lever" podcast, Walz said that he lacked the authority to independently stop payments to suspected fraudsters and needed legislative action to obtain that authority, but nonetheless acknowledged that his administration should have acted sooner. "The amount of fraud, like I said, $1 is too much, but the amount that has been prosecuted, and people put in jail, is less than what [President Donald Trump] is asking for his ballroom," Walz said. When pressed further by the host about whether he was worried that the fraud allegations would continue to be damaging, Walz replied, "Yes.
“正如我所说，欺诈金额哪怕只有1美元也太多了，但已被起诉并入狱的人数，却少于[唐纳德·特朗普总统]要求用于他舞厅的金额，”沃尔兹说。
They undermine faith in government." He added, "It's one of the reasons I accept responsibility for that. I think, you know, I had decided, probably after the murder of Melissa Hortman, certainly before Christmas, that we weren't going to run again because I said, ‘They're going to use this to attack others and to attack the system.’"
当主持人进一步追问他是否担心欺诈指控将继续造成损害时，沃尔兹回答说：“是的。这削弱了人们对政府的信任。”
GOP ACCUSES WALZ ALLIES OF BURYING $52M MEDICAID FRAUD REPORT BEFORE ELECTION "Every state has this. Most states have far more than this," he added.
他补充道：“这是我承担责任的原因之一。我想，你知道，我可能在梅丽莎·霍特曼遇害之后，肯定是在圣诞节之前就决定了，我们不会再参选，因为我说，‘他们将利用此事攻击他人和攻击体系。’”共和党指责沃尔兹的盟友在选举前掩埋了5200万美元的医疗补助欺诈报告“每个州都有这种情况。大多数州的情况远比这严重，”他补充道。“特朗普政府决定聚焦于对他们而言的‘完美风暴’，”沃尔兹说。
"The Trump administration decided to focus on the perfect storm for them," Walz said. "‘Blame Somalis.’ ‘Blame the guy who ran against me.’ ‘Blame this prosperous state that pays more money in than not and let's punish them.’But that doesn't excuse that. Should we do more? Yes. Were there things that we should have closed back doors sooner? Yes. I mean, it happened. Now we know other states are learning from us."
“‘责怪索马里人。’‘责怪那个和我竞选的人。’‘责怪这个繁荣的州，它缴纳的钱比得到的多，然后我们就惩罚他们。’但这不能成为借口。我们应该做更多吗？是的。我们是否应该更早关闭后门？是的。我的意思是，事情已经发生了。现在我们知道其他州正在向我们学习。”
He later said, "The problem with fraud and corruption, both of them undermine faith in government, and that plays right into Republicans' hands. Do they like fraud? I would argue they do because it undermines federal.
他后来又说：“欺诈和腐败的问题在于，它们都削弱了人们对政府的信任，而这正合共和党的意。他们喜欢欺诈吗？我认为他们喜欢，因为这削弱了联邦政府。这为削减这些项目提供了理由。他们憎恨这些为儿童提供食物的项目。他们憎恨这些，你知道的，与自闭症儿童合作的项目。所以，伙计，这对他们来说真是个礼物。‘看，它们不起作用。这是纳税人的钱。让我们把它们关掉。’”
It makes a reason to cut these programs. They hate these programs that feed children. They hate these programs that, you know, work with autistic children.
特朗普正在打击奥巴马医改欺诈。民主党人正在捍卫这些数据。众议院司法委员会民主党人前首席顾问朱利安·爱泼斯坦接受了福克斯新闻数字版的采访。“这些借口侮辱了我们的智慧，”他说的是沃尔兹的言论。
So, man, what a gift to them. ‘See, they don't work. It's tax dollars. Let's close them down.’" TRUMP IS FIGHTING OBAMACARE FRAUD. DEMOCRATS ARE DEFENDING THE NUMBERS Former chief counsel for House Judiciary Democrats Julian Epstein spoke with Fox News Digital about the interview. "These excuses insult our intelligence," he said of Walz's statements. "The governor has ample authority to stop payments when there's evidence of fraud.
“当有欺诈证据时，州长有充分的权力停止付款。州长也可以将证据提交给州和联邦检察官以立即采取行动。这里的事实是，这种系统性欺诈似乎已经持续了十年以上，而像蒂姆·沃尔兹和佩吉·弗拉纳根这样的官员几乎没有采取任何行动。而且，人们严重质疑他们是否因为欺诈的受益者在为他们投票、为他们的竞选捐款，或者在某种程度上在政治上帮助他们而睁一只眼闭一只眼。真正的问题是，这些高级官员是否在某种程度上直接或间接地从中获益。”
The governor can also refer the evidence to state and federal prosecutors for immediate action. The reality here is that this systemic fraud seemed to be going on for over a decade with officials like Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan doing almost nothing about it. And there are serious questions as to whether they turned a blind eye because the beneficiaries of the fraud were voting for them, contributing to their campaigns, we're helping them politically in some way.
众议院司法委员会民主党人前首席顾问西奥·沃尔德也接受了福克斯新闻数字版的采访，谈到了此次访谈。
The real question is whether these senior officials were somehow benefiting directly or indirectly." Former chief counsel for House Judiciary Democrats Theo Wold spoke about the interview to Fox News Digital as well.
“他们在负责期间，外国人和罪犯掠夺了数十亿美元的公共资金，而民主党人任其发生。如今他们转移焦点，指责共和党人。这根本说不通，”沃尔德说。福克斯新闻数字版联系白宫寻求评论，但未能立即获得回应。
"They were in charge while foreigners and criminals pilfered billions in public funds, and Democrats let it all happen. Now they deflect and blame Republicans. You can’t make it make sense," Wold said. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive an immediate response.