WATCH: Viral Debate Clip Comes Back To Haunt Tim Walz Amid Daycare Fraud Scandal

Footage of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from the 2024 vice-presidential debate is exploding online as the state once again finds itself at the center of massive daycare fraud questions.

The clip, resurfaced, highlights Walz boasting about his administration’s efforts to expand childcare access — even as allegations now swirl that lax oversight allowed taxpayer dollars to flow into questionable daycare centers across the Twin Cities.

During the October debate, moderators never pressed Walz on what watchdogs say was the largest pandemic-era fraud in the nation happening under his watch, focusing instead on attacks against then-Republican nominee JD Vance. Now, with new viral evidence circulating, critics argue that the public deserves answers.

“We in Minnesota passed a paid family medical leave… That’s how you become a better pro-business state,” Walz bragged. “You have a child, you should be able to stay home a certain amount of time”

“We have to make it easier for folks to be able to get into that [childcare] business,” Walz said at the time, promoting Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave mandates as good for families and the economy.

WATCH:

During the VP debate last year Tim Walz bragged about making it easier for people to get into the childcare business.

Walz: “We have to make it easier for folks to be able to get into that business and then to make sure that folks are able to pay for that. We were able to do it… pic.twitter.com/hXGun6e6fe

— MAZE (@mazemoore) December 28, 2025

The remarks are drawing renewed focus amid shocking allegations from independent journalist Nick Shirley, who recently published a video showing visits to several daycare facilities that received millions in state childcare assistance funds but appeared vacant during business hours.

One daycare — the “Quality Learing Center” in Minneapolis, notable for its misspelled sign — was licensed for 99 children and reportedly received roughly $4 million in state funding. Shirley’s footage shows locked doors, dark classrooms, and no activity. State records show the facility has been cited for 95 violations between 2019 and 2023, primarily tied to safety protocols and missing documentation.

Several of the daycare operators featured are Somali-run, prompting local critics to assert that lax oversight — combined with growing abuse in other welfare programs — has created a system ripe for exploitation.

Shirley’s video has now amassed tens of millions of views across X and other platforms, setting off a political firestorm. Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance have already amplified calls for further investigation.

Walz’s administration has scrambled to respond.

Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families said Monday that the daycares in question had recently been inspected and found to be operating with children present during surprise checks — contradicting the footage. Officials suggested Shirley may have captured video outside of normal hours but acknowledged ongoing reviews.

Still, skepticism remains high.

The uproar comes as Minnesota is already reeling from the Feeding Our Future scandal — a sprawling pandemic-era scheme federal prosecutors say siphoned off at least $250 million in taxpayer funds through fraudulent claims for meals never served. Dozens have been charged in the case, and officials admit investigations into other social services programs remain ongoing.

Federal agencies — including DHS and the FBI — have also signaled deeper scrutiny into Minnesota’s human services programs, calling the fraudulent activity uncovered so far “the tip of a very large iceberg.”

Walz has acknowledged publicly that fraud is happening “on my watch,” but insists his administration is cracking down, tightening regulations, and increasing enforcement. Supporters credit his paid-leave and childcare initiatives with strengthening family support systems statewide.

But critics see the debate moment — now widely recirculated — as emblematic of what they call a glaring lack of accountability.