Ex-Omar Staffer Blames Trump and Walz for Feeding Our Future Fraud in Email to Minnesota Committee

Rep. Ilhan Omar has not responded publicly or privately to a Minnesota House committee's request for information on her ties to the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal. But an email from her former district director, Kendal Killian, offers a glimpse into her camp's view.

Killian served as Omar's District Director from 2019 to 2022. On Wednesday, he emailed Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee Chair Kristin Robbins and Rep. Dave Pinto, the panel's lead Democrat. Fox News Digital obtained the email.

Killian referenced Robbins' comments in Session Daily about H.R. 6187, the MEALS Act. "If the quote is accurate, you said, ‘She passed the MEALS Act in March 2020.’ Given that you were elected in 2018, I find it surprising that I need to explain to you how a bill becomes law, but one person cannot unilaterally pass legislation," he wrote.

Republicans contend the pandemic-era school meal waivers from Omar's MEALS Act helped enable the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud, as federal prosecutors describe it.

Killian told Robbins, a former congressional legislative director, that Republicans controlled the Senate and White House when the larger bill passed, so they bear responsibility for implementation. "So your characterization that Rep. Ilhan Omar passed this legislation unilaterally (and oversaw its execution) is off base," he said.

He added that the MEALS Act critics cite "never even passed." Killian called it bizarre to explain this to a state representative and said Robbins showed confusion because similar language appeared in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

"While the original Meals Act (which never passed) was more similar to universal school meals legislation Omar championed and Representative Sydney Jordan in Minnesota later shepherded, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (supported by McConnell and signed by Trump) added waiver authority that facilitated much of the Feeding Our Future fraud," Killian wrote. He said the fraud stemmed from broader COVID-19 legislation and USDA emergency waivers under Trump, plus weak oversight and rapid funding.

In bold, he stated the Families First act was not chiefly sponsored by Omar, making such claims inaccurate. He ended by suggesting the committee subpoena President Trump instead.

The MEALS Act did not pass standalone but appears as related legislation to the Families First act on Congress.gov. That 2020 law included similar waiver provisions. Robbins told Fox News Digital that Killian is lying about Omar's impact. She said the MEALS Act's core purpose, expanding USDA waiver authority, made it into the larger package.

"I’m talking about the MEALS Act that got incorporated in the larger coronavirus package," Robbins said. "In the related bills section it links to the Ilhan bill and lists it as one of the bills included in the Act, the language is identical."

Congress.gov lists H.R. 6187 as related to H.R. 6201. Omar took credit for the passed legislation in constituent messages and a September 2020 press release. There, she said her MEALS Act "was passed into law as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act" and "directly authorized these school meal waivers."

Omar also pushed back when the Trump administration planned to scale back waivers in summer and fall 2020. In an August letter, she wrote, "In March, Congress authorized the use of waivers in the MEALS Act and the COVID-19 Child Nutrition Response Act."

"Absolutely not, it did help feed kids," Omar said in December 2020 when asked if she regretted supporting the MEALS Act.

Killian's email contradicts his LinkedIn post from a year ago. There, he wrote, "When I worked in Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s office during the pandemic, she wrote and passed the MEALS Act, a vital bill funding schools and feeding all kids." He called it groundwork for broader policy.

His email included a P.S. linking to the Schoolhouse Rock "I’m Just a Bill" cartoon. Robbins called the tone shameful and referred to Omar's "henchmen."

"We have had no official response from the congresswoman, but they have a former district director, which is the most senior position, and he sent it to me and the Democrat lead on the committee," Robbins said. "So he's clearly wanting to have Democrats push back on me."

Killian's email did not address the committee's specific questions to Omar about her promotion of child nutrition programs, communications with the Minnesota Department of Education, and ties to charged individuals. The panel sought records on her highlighting of Safari Restaurant, a fraud-linked site, in a Somali-language TV appearance.

The committee also requested contacts with Feeding Our Future figures like Aimee Bock and co-conspirators, plus communications with donors later charged in the case.

"She fought to keep the waivers in place during the time that Safari and the other fraudsters were making their money," Robbins said.

Responding to Fox News Digital, Killian called his email his personal perspective. He acknowledged similar MEALS Act language in the relief package but blamed implementers, including the Trump USDA and Gov. Tim Walz.

"It was then overseen by the Trump USDA. And then governors like Walz. Frankly, Governor Walz…deserves the same level of scrutiny as this Fox inquiry," he wrote. "At the end of the day, it was Governor Walz who [expletive] this up."

Killian said no fraud occurred at public schools, which Omar's bill targeted, but at nonprofits. Waivers allowed distribution at non-school sites like restaurants tied to the scheme.

He dismissed debate over whether the MEALS Act "passed" as casual language. Omar's office did not comment. She missed the committee's May 5 deadline. Democrats later blocked a subpoena in a party-line vote.