JD Vance announces multi-state fraud task force in wake of Minnesota scandal
Vice President JD Vance announced a new federal task force aimed at tackling fraud across the country on Thursday.
Vance says the Justice Department will feature a new associate attorney general position to address fraud, in addition to the 1,500 subpoenas and 100 indictments the DOJ has already sent out on the issue.
Vance says the administration hopes to announce a nominee to the position "within the next few days."
"This is the person that is going to make sure we stop defrauding the American people," Vance said.
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"We have activated a major Interagency task force to make it possible to get to the heart of this fraud," he continued. "We also want to expand this. We know that the fraud isn't just happening in Minneapolis. It's also happening in states like Ohio. It's happening in states like California."
Vance made the announcement alongside White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a Thursday briefing.
Prior to Vance's remarks, Leavitt reiterated the administration's rock-solid support for federal immigration officers operating across the country.
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Addressing the deadly officer-involved shooting in Minnesota on Wednesday, she blamed the incident on an "organized attack" by a "broader left-wing network" on federal officers operating in multiple states.
The statement echoed comments from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the victim, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, tried to "weaponize her vehicle" and "attempted to run a law enforcement officer over."
Noem also accused Good of "stalking and impeding" federal agents all day. Noem told reporters that Good was instructed to get out of her car and stop "obstructing" law enforcement, but she did not comply.
The agency is labeling the incident as an act of "domestic terrorism."
On Thursday, in a separate post on X, Vance expanded on his defense of the officer's actions, slamming critics for engaging in "gaslighting." The post was made in response to comments from Jenin Younes, the national legal director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who argued that the officer was not in danger and had time to get out of Good's way. Vance said Younes' arguments were "preposterous."
"The gaslighting is off the charts, and I'm having none of it. This guy was doing his job. She tried to stop him from doing his job. When he approached her car, she tried to hit him," Vance wrote. "A tragedy? Absolutely. But a tragedy that falls on this woman and all of the radicals who teach people that immigration is the one type of law that rioters are allowed to interfere with."
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.