Virtual File - Item

Text: May 7, 2026

The Honorable James Comer
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
2410 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Comer,

I am grateful for the continued work of the House Oversight Committee to fight fraud in federal programs in Minnesota and across the country. As Chair of the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, I have been working diligently to expose the rampant fraud that has occurred in Minnesota under Governor Tim Walz and his Administration.

On April 21, 2026, we held a hearing on the genesis of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. We invited Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to attend and answer questions regarding her role in creating the conditions for this fraud to take place. She was the chief author of the Maintaining Essential Access to Lunch for Students (MEALS) Act (H.R. 6187) in the 116th Congress, which passed as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) in March 2020.

As you know, the MEALS Act removed important guardrails in the federal School Nutrition Program which, in turn, allowed restaurants to participate in the program. As you may be aware, Rep. Ilhan Omar has documented ties to criminals convicted in the Feeding Our Future case, including holding her 2018 election party at the Safari Restaurant and appearing in a video promoting the MEALS Act, which was filmed at the Safari Restaurant.

In the federal case U.S. v. Bock, several text and email exchanges between Rep. Omar's office and the defendants in the case were listed in the trial exhibits. Our committee made several attempts to invite Rep. Omar to our committee to discuss her intention in passing the bill and her connection and communications with Feeding our Future defendants.

Unfortunately, Rep. Omar failed to respond to our numerous invitations. Thus, on April 22, 2026, we sent a follow-up letter, requesting her communications with all Feeding Our Future defendants and those specifically referenced in the trial exhibits. We gave her until May 5, 2026, to respond. When she failed to respond by that date, our committee attempted to subpoena the requested communications. Minnesota House Rules require a two-thirds majority vote to issue a subpoena. Unfortunately, the vote failed 5-3 along party lines as the Democrats on our Committee chose to protect Rep. Omar rather than get the facts for Minnesotans.

Although we cannot compel Rep. Omar to turn over the communications, we respectfully request that the House Oversight Committee consider requesting or subpoenaing this information. It is essential to understand the genesis of the largest COVID-related fraud scandal by getting the documents and the facts about Rep. Omar's and her staff's communications with defendants in this case. I have attached my April 22, 2026, letter to Rep. Omar, as well as a copy of the video and proposed subpoena referenced above.

I appreciate your consideration. We are grateful for all you are doing to find and stop fraud in federal programs throughout the country. The public is demanding transparency and accountability for the billions that have been stolen by criminals. Your help in getting these communications will enable us to get to the root of this scandal.

Best Wishes,

Rep. Kristin Robbins, Chair, House Fraud Prevention & State Agency Oversight Committee