Overview
- Independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a 42‑minute video showing a Minneapolis site called the Quality Learning Center with a misspelled sign and no children visible during his visit.
- Documents shown in the video and cited by multiple outlets indicate the center received about $1.9 million in Child Care Assistance Program funds in 2025 and roughly $4 million across recent years.
- State records confirm the facility is licensed for up to 99 children and that it accumulated 95 licensing violations from 2019 to 2023, including missing child records and safety issues.
- Republicans and high‑profile figures amplified the footage, with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer demanding answers, Rep. Mike Lawler urging accountability, and Elon Musk calling to prosecute Walz; Vice President JD Vance criticized the broader system.
- Federal officials have said Minnesota social‑service fraud could reach into the billions, though state leaders dispute the highest estimates, and authorities have not accused the Quality Learning Center of a crime.