WASHINGTON (TNND) — The White House’s fraud task force brought attorneys general from around the country to Washington for input on how to fight fraud, but the meeting drew criticism from Democratic state officials who said they weren’t given enough time to attend.
Vice President JD Vance met with attorneys general as part of the administration’s latest push against fraud.
“In just two months, we’ve exposed billions of dollars in benefits that have been stolen from the American people,” Vance said in his opening remarks.
The meeting was dominated by Republican attorneys general. Democratic attorneys general were not invited at first and later received invitations at the last minute. A group of 24 Democratic attorneys general sent a letter to Vance that said, in part, “We are committed to stopping fraud, waste, and abuse in all government programs across our statesWhile we would appreciate the opportunity to engage in serious discussions, the invitation was provided with less than one business day’s notice with no agenda. This short notice does not match the spirit of collaboration that has long defined our joint efforts with federal partners.”
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald called for cooperation and information-sharing.
“We need documents. We need witnesses. Bring your documents and bring your witnesses to the table. Don’t run with your ball and go home. Come to the table and solve this problem with us. Your state’s data, including Medicaid payment and claims records and the expertise of your investigators, are essential to uncovering fraud,” McDonald said.
Much of the White House’s fraud focus has been on Minnesota. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was among those who signed the letter to Vance. The Department of Justice announced last week that 15 people were arrested in a case involving $90 million in alleged fraudulent funds tied to Medicaid.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the state has not done enough to address the problem.
“You cannot keep up with fraud. If we’re not actually getting at the root cause of it which is whenstates do not police their own systems,” Oz said while joining the press conference announcing the arrests last week.
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Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is ramping up its own fraud crackdowns. A memo sent to ICE attorneys this week warned of robust enforcement against lawyers accused of filing false immigration asylum claims.
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