Democrat Rep Screams at Top of Her Lungs as Somali Fraud Hearing Descends Into Mayhem

A House Oversight Committee hearing meant to examine massive fraud tied to Minnesota social services unraveled Wednesday after Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley erupted into a shouting match with witnesses, prompting accusations of “grandstanding” and drawing rebukes from colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

The tense exchange unfolded as Pressley questioned a panel of Minnesota state legislators about pardons issued by President Donald J. Trump, the current President of the United States, to former Republican New York Rep. George Santos and former Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion defendant Brian Christopher Mock—both convicted on fraud-related charges. Rather than address the substance of the hearing, witnesses said Pressley veered into political theatrics.

“Now [Mock] claims he did these things in the name of patriotism, but really, he’s just a criminal. So raise your hand if you oppose Trump’s pardon of this Minnesota individual,” Pressley demanded.

Republican Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins pushed back immediately, saying, “Ma’am, this grandstanding nonsense is exactly what Minnesotans hate about D.C.”

Pressley escalated the confrontation, raising her voice and cutting off responses. “This is not grandstanding! This is accountability and you are hypocrites! So again, I will take your refusal to not… excuse me! Reclaiming my time! Reclaiming my time!” she shouted—behavior that led Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace to remark that Pressley was “off the rails.”

Video of the exchange quickly spread online.

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer attempted to restore order, informing Pressley that her time had expired. The Massachusetts Democrat continued demanding additional time and lashed out at the witnesses and fellow lawmakers, accusing them of being “unserious.”

“I’m looking for accountability and you want to run from the hypocrisy from your king and this administration!” Pressley yelled.

While Pressley dominated the spotlight, other Democrats appeared eager to shift attention away from the scope of the fraud. Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch used his allotted four minutes to discuss the legacy of former President John F. Kennedy, rather than pressing witnesses on the ongoing investigations in Minnesota.

Federal authorities have charged 98 defendants in multiple Minnesota-based social services fraud schemes, with at least 85 of the accused identified as being of Somali descent. To date, 57 defendants have been convicted in connection with the theft of more than $350 million from Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit created to provide meals to low-income children.

Independent journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley has further exposed questionable operations tied to the scandal. Shirley documented several Somali-run daycare centers that appeared to be nonfunctional despite receiving large sums of taxpayer money. One facility—the Quality “Learning” Center, which initially misspelled “Learning” as “Learing”—received $1.9 million in 2025 and more than $4 million in total funding through Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program. Five of the ten daycare sites visited by Shirley also served as Feeding Our Future meal locations, collectively receiving nearly $5 million from the nonprofit between 2018 and 2021.

The political fallout continues to mount in Minnesota. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday that he is dropping his reelection bid in the 2026 gubernatorial race, a decision that comes amid intense scrutiny over his administration’s handling of the sprawling fraud scandal.