‘Buck’ stops at Walz: Flanagan ducks Minnesota fraud blame as GOP rival exposes glaring contradiction

Michele Tafoya, the Republican nominee for U.S.

Senate in Minnesota and a former broadcaster, aggressively sought to put her opponent, Democratic Lt.

Gov.

Peggy Flanagan, on the defensive during a Friday afternoon debate over the billion-dollar fraud schemes that drew national attention to the state earlier this year.

Early in the debate, Tafoya pressed Flanagan on her qualifications for federal office, pointing to her record as lieutenant governor.

"My opponent has been second in command in this state for eight years, drawing a taxpayer-funded paycheck.

And what do we have to show for that? We have massive fraud, historic fraud.

We have test scores down.

We have crime spiking.

We have a massive surplus turned into a deficit," Tafoya said.

TAFOYA MAKES 'COMMON SENSE' PITCH TO DISAFFECTED DEMOCRATS AS SHE VOWS TO FIGHT MINNESOTA’S ‘SOCIALIST LURCH’ "This election is about Peggy Flanagan." Local and federal investigators have uncovered myriad fraud schemes involving daycare centers, food programs, health clinics and other operations accused of defrauding the state of up to $9 billion.

Investigators say fraudsters either inflated the number of people they allegedly helped or fabricated their services altogether — all while receiving government dollars.

When the issue resurfaced later in the debate, the moderator asked Flanagan directly whether, in her view, she had "any ownership over the fraud." Flanagan sought to distance herself from the issue, pointing to Walz's acknowledgment that responsibility for oversight rested with him.

"The governor has been very clear that the buck stops with him," Flanagan said.