Vance Hosts Task Force To Eliminate Fraud After Democrats Skip Roundtable
Three Democratic state attorneys general said their deputies were turned away from JD Vance’s task force to eliminate fraud roundtable on Tuesday after they declined a last-minute invitation. The dispute came as Vance, who chairs the White House task force to eliminate fraud, said the effort should not be partisan.
Letitia James said her deputy attorney general went to Washington DC on Tuesday and was not allowed access to the meeting. The Democratic response was laid out in a letter signed by 24 state attorneys general, who said the invitation arrived with less than one business day’s notice and no agenda.
James and Vance on Tuesday
Vance said representatives from the Democratic state attorneys general offices in Oregon and Connecticut were present. He also said the task force had “exposed billions of dollars in benefits that have been stolen from the American people” since it was launched in March.
James said her office had been a leader in prosecuting Medicaid fraud, and she said it had been cited along with three other Medicaid fraud offices as comprising half of all civil recoveries in the US in fiscal year 2025. She said, “Real collaboration between states and the federal government is critical to addressing fraud and waste, but that partnership requires proper notice, sincere engagement and a genuine opportunity for productive discussion.”
24 Attorneys General Letter
The letter said, “We are committed to stopping fraud, waste, and abuse in all government programs across our states, and are proud of our continued partnership with the federal government in this mission.” It added that the invitation came with “less than one business day’s notice with no agenda.”
Jennifer Davenport said, “Eliminating fraud cannot be a partisan effort or politically motivated.” She said she was concerned that the federal administration was using allegations of fraud in an attempt to freeze or cut funding to critical programs, and said the Trump administration had gutted many of the federal agencies meant to root out fraud.
Josh Kaul also criticized the administration’s approach, saying, “You cannot have a president hardening fraudster after fraudster, and then turn around and say he takes fraud seriously.” He added, “You’re getting rid of inspectors general who root out fraud.”
The row leaves the White House fraud effort with a public split at the same moment it is seeking support from more than a dozen Republican state attorneys general. What happens next will turn on whether Vance and the Democratic offices can make the promised partnership look more like a working meeting than a late invitation and a closed door.
