Would you like to see Minnesota Governor Tim Walz arrested, prosecuted, or even sitting in a prison cell? A lot of Minnesotans have been asking that question lately, especially after years of lockdowns, riots, and a casual attitude toward federal money that never seems to belong to the taxpayers who funded it. According to a growing number of legal analysts, the mechanism to do exactly that is already sitting in federal law, untouched and ignored.
The statute at the center of the discussion is 18 U.S.C. 666, a federal law dealing with theft or bribery involving programs that receive federal funds. The reason this law matters is simple. It does not just apply to low-level bureaucrats or shady contractors. It explicitly applies to agents of a state government. That definition includes officers, directors, managers, and yes, governors.
Absolutely https://t.co/FPoKRgRyx1
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2026
Even Elon Musk weighed in earlier this week, responding “Absolutely” to a post highlighting the statute’s relevance. Musk’s approval is not legal authority, but it did help drag this obscure section of the U.S. Code into the public spotlight. And once you actually read the law, the attention makes sense.
Under 18 U.S.C. 666, a state official can be prosecuted if they intentionally misapply or misuse property worth $5,000 or more, as long as the state receives over $10,000 annually in federal funds. Every state in the union clears that funding threshold without breaking a sweat. Medicaid, highway dollars, education grants, disaster aid, it all counts. The law does not even require that the misused property be federal money. If the state gets federal funds and a state agent misapplies state-controlled property, federal jurisdiction kicks in.
This statute was written specifically to close loopholes that allowed corrupt officials to dodge prosecution by playing accounting games. It has been used against mayors, commissioners, and agency heads across the country. The idea that a governor is somehow immune is political fantasy, not legal reality. A governor is the chief executive of the state and plainly qualifies as an agent under the statute’s broad definition.
Now, does that mean Tim Walz is automatically guilty of anything? No. A prosecution would require evidence of intent, misuse, and personal involvement. Those are high bars, and governors are rarely charged because prosecutors tend to fear the political fallout. That is a choice, not a legal limitation.
The important point is this. The law exists. It is clear. It applies to state governors. If federal authorities ever decide to stop treating certain politicians as untouchable, 18 U.S.C. 666 is sitting there, waiting to be used. For a lot of frustrated Minnesotans, that realization alone feels like progress.