Scapegoat [verb]: To blame a person or thing for something bad that someone else has done. -- Cambridge University dictionary [emphasis added.]
It was a breathtaking bit of brazen blame-shifting.
On Monday's Morning Joe, Mara Gay, a MS NOW analyst and member of the New York Times editorial board, claimed that Somalis in Minnesota are being "scapegoated" over the massive social program fraud that has taken place on Governor and former Kamala running mate Tim Walz's watch.
Jonathan Lemire teed up Gay:
"This is a story that's really gained a lot of traction among conservative media members, MAGA, including members of the Trump administration [and] Vice President J.D. Vance."
Jonathan, this might well be the biggest social-program fraud in US history. The story would have "gained a lot of traction" with the liberal media had they been doing their job.
Gay took it from there:
"Because it looks like the Somali population in Minnesota, the Somali immigrant population, may have been involved in some way, those people are being scapegoated, and that community is being scapegoated in a way that certainly serves the far right. And that's inappropriate. Absolutely."
Mara, it ain't scapegoating if Somalis were convicted of doing it. It wasn't Somalis as an ethnic group, but it was connected Somalis as a political class.
And the overwhelming weight of the evidence points that way, the most recent coming in the viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley "depicting visits to multiple Minnesota childcare facilities that appeared largely inactive despite receiving millions in state funding."
Gay tried to cover her tracks, piously suggesting that "If there is fraud there, that should be fully investigated." If? She also skeptically wondered why this investigation is a "priority" for the DoJ. See above, Mara: It could be the largest social-program fraud in American history. Gay also played the whataboutism card, pointing to allegations of fraud in Mississippi and other states.
Note: Turns out, Gay was echoing Walz, who has accused the Trump administration of scapegoating. He somehow also managed to work in "white supremacy." Video here.
Here's the transcript.
MS NOW
Morning Joe
12/29/25
9:26 am ETJONATHAN LEMIRE: FBI Director Kash Patel has announced a surge in resources to investigate alleged fraud in Minnesota social programs, which has led to dozens of arrests and indictments, and has largely tainted the state's Somali immigrant population.
Last week, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee expanded its investigation into the Medicaid fraud allegations there in Minnesota. That move, coming days after the Assistant U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, who was appointed by President Trump this past summer, claimed widespread fraud across multiple state programs that could total more than $9 billion.
Now, Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has very much disputed those figures. Earlier this month, he announced a new statewide fraud prevention program following scrutiny over fraud issues in the state.
And, Mara, this is a story that's really gained a lot of traction among conservative media members, among, MAGA, folks online, including members of the Trump administration. Vice President J.D. Vance was posting about it the other day.
There's a lot we don't know here just yet, but it does, it gives off at least a sense in, you know, we'll see where the facts take us, but at least we can safely say this. It seems like Republicans are eager to be talking about something else than a lot of the bad news surrounding the president right now.
MARA GAY: Right, well, sure. So these were funds that were meant to go to help feed hungry people during the COVID pandemic, to help keep people in their homes who are at risk of homelessness.
So first of all, if there is fraud there, that should be fully investigated, no matter where it is, whether it's in a Democratic-led state, a Republican-led state. I mean, let's pull back. So absolutely, it should be investigated.
The question is, why is this a priority in a different kind of way? The politicization of the DOJ and the FBI is undeniable. So whether they are reliable narrators is the big question.
And this is what happens when you weaponize and politicize federal agencies that are not meant to be politicized. And I think the American people are right to ask the question, well, can we trust you? And that's a sad thing to say as an American.
Let's recall, too, that there's also other scandals in other states, for example, the Mississippi welfare scandal. This is not unique to politics. Americans know that.
But, of course, the other factor here is that because it looks like the Somali population in Minnesota, the Somali immigrant population may have been involved in some way, those people are being scapegoated, and that community is being scapegoated in a way that certainly serves the far right.
And so that's also something to keep an eye on. And that's inappropriate. Absolutely.
