From the campaign of Don Tracy:
Don Tracy Calls on Democrat Opponents to Withdraw Their Tim Walz Endorsements Following Whistleblower Retaliation Claims and Fraud Revelations
SPRINGFIELD – Thursday, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer revealed that whistleblowers who warned Minnesota state leaders about widespread fraud were retaliated against by Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Comer said Walz and Ellison ignored years of internal warnings and punished employees who attempted to expose misconduct. Minnesota State Rep. Marion Rarick stated that Walz “has done nothing other than appoint commissioners who suppressed fraud and retaliated against their own employees.”
In response, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy called on his Democrat opponents to withdraw their Walz endorsements and lead efforts to ensure the same abuse isn’t occurring in Illinois on the dime of Illinois taxpayers.“
Governor Walz has been praised and endorsed by
- Raja Krishnamoorthi,
- Juliana Stratton, and
- Robin Kelly
Raja even called Walz an ‘exceptional public servant.”
Tracy said.
.Now we know that under his watch, Minnesota taxpayers were hit with one of the largest public fraud scandals in the country. Illinois voters deserve to know if my opponents still stand by their endorsements and why they aren’t demanding stronger oversight here in our state.
”Tracy said the silence from his opponents reflects a broader pattern of career politicians playing politics instead of delivering common-sense solutions, even as working families pay the price.
“I am running for the U.S. Senate because I’ve seen what career politicians with extreme agendas are doing to this country.
“Instead of standing up for taxpayers and people who truly need help, they protect the political status quo even when fraud, waste, and abuse are staring them in the face.
”Tracy noted that Illinois has its own history of fraud and mismanagement. In just one example, the Illinois Auditor General found $5.2 billion in unemployment insurance overpayments in 2023, including more than $2 billion tied to fraud.
“When billions of dollars are wasted or stolen, that money isn’t going to the people these programs are meant to help. It drives up inflation and raises the cost of living for Illinoisans already struggling with high gas prices, rising health care costs, and record utility bills.”Recent cases underscore that the problem is ongoing in Illinois:
- An Illinois physician was charged with more than $1 million in Medicare and Medicaid fraud, including billing for services never performed.
- A $227 million federal Medicare fraud scheme involving fraudulent COVID-19 test claims.
- A DuPage County clinic owner was sentenced to prison for $2.46 million in Medicaid fraud.
- A suburban physician was sentenced to eight years in prison for $1.2 million in Medicaid fraud.
“These aren’t isolated incidents.
“They’re symptoms of a system with insufficient guardrails and/or lax oversight and politicians who refuse to fix the problem,” Tracy said.
“The same career politicians who endorsed Tim Walz and ignored warning signs in Minnesota are content to look the other way here in Illinois.
“I’ve spent my career working for families and small businesses, not special interests. I know what it’s like to make payroll, raise a family, and feel the pressure of rising costs. Where I come from, accountability isn’t extreme. It’s common sense.”
