Footage of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz from the 2024 vice presidential debate is making the rounds again, and the timing could not be worse for him. As Minnesota is once again engulfed in massive daycare fraud allegations, the resurfaced clip shows Walz proudly boasting about how his administration made it easier to get into the childcare business. Looking back now, that brag hits a little differently.
During the October debate, Walz was never seriously challenged on fraud issues, even though Minnesota was already dealing with what watchdogs were calling the largest pandemic era fraud operation in the country. Instead, moderators focused their fire on then Republican nominee JD Vance. Walz used the moment to sell himself as a pro business progressive, touting paid family and medical leave and expanded childcare access as proof of good governance.
“We have to make it easier for folks to be able to get into that business,” Walz said, referring to childcare providers. At the time, it sounded like compassionate policy. Today, critics argue it sounds more like an open invitation to abuse.
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
That criticism exploded after independent journalist Nick Shirley released a viral video showing multiple daycare centers across Minneapolis that received millions in taxpayer funded childcare assistance but appeared completely empty during normal business hours. One of the most glaring examples was the so called Quality Learing Center, misspelling and all. Licensed for 99 children, the facility reportedly pulled in around $4 million in state funds. Shirley’s footage showed locked doors, dark rooms, and zero activity.
State records make it even worse. Between 2019 and 2023, that single facility racked up 95 violations, many tied to safety failures and missing documentation. Yet the money kept flowing. Several of the centers featured in Shirley’s video are Somali run, and critics say lax oversight combined with political fear has created a perfect environment for exploitation across multiple welfare programs.
The video has now racked up tens of millions of views across X and other platforms. Figures like Elon Musk and Vice President Vance amplified calls for deeper investigation, turning what started as a local story into a national embarrassment.
Walz’s administration has rushed to push back. Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families claims recent surprise inspections found children present at the questioned sites, contradicting Shirley’s footage. Officials suggested the video may have been recorded outside normal hours, while admitting reviews are ongoing. That explanation has not exactly calmed anyone down.
This is all unfolding while Minnesota is still reeling from the Feeding Our Future scandal, a $250 million fraud case that led to dozens of charges. Federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have warned publicly that what has been uncovered so far is only the beginning.
Walz has admitted fraud happened on his watch, but insists he is cracking down. Critics see that old debate clip as a symbol of the problem. Big promises, loose rules, and accountability that always seems to arrive years too late.