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The U.S. is facing “a fraud crisis” and the only way to stop it is “to hold people accountable,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said on Wednesday.

Appearing on “Wake Up America,” Comer pointed to a sweeping investigation into alleged fraud in Minnesota as a prime example of systemic failures that he says have gone unchecked for years under Democrat leadership.

Federal authorities on Tuesday executed 22 search warrants across daycare and autism centers in the Twin Cities, part of a broader crackdown on what Comer described as widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded programs.

He credited the Trump administration and Vice President JD Vance for prioritizing fraud enforcement, calling the effort a turning point.

“If the American people realized exactly how much of their tax dollars were lost to fraud, they would be up here on the steps of the Capitol demanding massive change,” Comer told co-hosts Sharla McBride and Marc Lotter.

Comer did not hold back in his criticism of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, accusing the Democrat of ignoring repeated warnings from whistleblowers.

According to Comer, state employees had flagged concerns about fraudulent activity for years, only to be dismissed.

“We learned and proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that these Democrat employees have been warning Tim Walz and [state Attorney General] Keith Ellison … for years about the fraud,” Comer said, suggesting political considerations played a role in the inaction.

The controversy intensified after Walz appeared to take credit for the federal raids, drawing sharp criticism from FBI Director Kash Patel, who emphasized that federal agencies, not the state, led the operation.

For Comer and fellow Republicans, the Minnesota case is emblematic of a broader national problem.

He argued that fraud is not isolated but instead part of a pattern spanning multiple federal programs, from Medicaid to child care assistance.

To address the issue, Comer is advancing legislation centered on the federal government’s “Do Not Pay” list, a database intended to flag individuals and entities with histories of fraud, unpaid taxes, or ongoing investigations.

Despite its existence, Comer said many agencies fail to use it effectively.

“My legislation requires these government agencies to put in the software that would kick out anyone on the ‘Do Not Pay’ list,” he explained, adding that current oversight is insufficient.

The bill aims to introduce stricter safeguards and prevent repeat offenders from exploiting multiple programs.

Comer argued that without such reforms, fraudsters will continue to move from one scheme to another with little resistance.

As investigations expand and prosecutions begin to mount, Comer expressed optimism that accountability is finally within reach.

Still, he warned that lasting change will require sustained political will and a willingness to confront what he described as years of negligence.

For now, Republicans are positioning the issue as a key priority, framing the fight against fraud as essential to protecting taxpayers and restoring trust in government.