Trump's week in review: Venezuela oil deal, Hyde Amendment backlash
5. Vance announces appointment of new assistant attorney general to focus on fraud
During a press conference Thursday, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the administration’s efforts to combat fraud following reports about rampant fraud at fake daycare centers in Minnesota.
“We have actually activated a major interagency task force to make it possible to get to the heart of this fraud,” he said. “We have Department of Agriculture resources that are focused on SNAP fraud so that people who need food benefits can get them but illegal aliens and other fraudsters don’t.”
“We have over 1,500 subpoenas the Department of Justice has issued to get to the heart of the fraud ring,” Vance added. “We’ve done almost 100 indictments, mostly Somali immigrants, but also a few others.”
Vance identified the creation of a new assistant attorney general position “who will have nationwide jurisdiction over the issue of fraud” as the latest action taken by the administration to combat fraud in Minnesota and nationwide.
“We’re going to make this nomination hopefully in the next few days,” Vance said.
Acknowledging that the new position will require confirmation by the Republican-controlled Senate, the vice president told reporters that he had talked to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who had promised “swift confirmation for this official.”
Likening the new position to “a special counsel to investigate fraud,” Vance differentiated the new position from a traditional special counsel by outlining how “it will be run out of the White House.”
When taking questions from reporters, Vance said the new assistant attorney general will likely serve for the remainder of the Trump administration.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
