The Democratic side of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee sat nearly empty Wednesday as Republicans questioned witnesses at a hearing titled «Exposing Fraud in America,» prompting GOP lawmakers to accuse the minority of ducking a politically uncomfortable issue. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the ranking Democrat, attended opening statements and asked a few questions but left before the main portion of the hearing, leaving the Democratic dais vacant for the remainder of the session.
Chairman Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, presided over the hearing, which featured testimony from investigative journalist James O’Keefe, whistleblower Nick Shirley, and government accountability expert Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette. The absence of Democrats drew sharp criticism from Republicans and conservative commentators, who noted that the hearing focused on fraud cases in Minnesota, California, and other states.
«There doesn’t appear to be a great deal of interest across the aisle,» Paul said after Senator Bernie Moreno, Republican of Ohio, pointed out that no Democrat was present to question witnesses after a Republican finished. Moreno had asked, «If there were a Democrat here, yes,» to which Paul replied, «So, there’s no Democrats present at a hearing about fraud.»
Fox News Digital reached out to every Democrat on the committee for comment, but none responded by press time. Besides Peters, the committee’s Democratic members include Senators John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Andy Kim of New Jersey, and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
Representative Lauren Boebert, Republican of Colorado, labeled the absent Democrats «cowards» in a post on X. Senator Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, told Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner that Democrats «don’t want to know the truth about this. You look at these areas that have just basically turned a blind eye and have let people move forward with fraud.» Blackburn has introduced legislation that would make defrauding the federal government a deportable and denaturalizing offense.
During the hearing, Shirley described his investigation into daycare fraud in Minneapolis, where he and his reporting partner David Hoch visited addresses of largely Somali-owned daycare centers. Shirley said the fraud involved money stolen from «hardworking, law-abiding, taxpaying citizens» and noted that the issue «has nothing to do with political parties, because no dollar says Republican or Democrat on it.» He highlighted that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced in January 2026 he would not seek a third term, and that the daycare organization with the highest level of government funding had pleaded guilty to fraud, while the largest «autism fraud» bust in history occurred in the state.
James O’Keefe testified about his work in Los Angeles, where he and his journalists recorded 28 exchanges with election petition circulators offering money or drugs in exchange for ballot signatures. «They campaign in this building about freedom and protecting democracy, preventing disenfranchisement and how nobody is above the law,» O’Keefe said. «But if those principles are not enforced when they are violated in broad daylight, they are not principles at all. They are slogans.»
The boycott comes amid ongoing scrutiny of fraud cases across the country, including a $4.6 million daycare fraud scheme in Minnesota that led to charges against the owner of a daycare center featured in a viral video by Shirley. Federal prosecutors have also called California a «fraudster’s paradise,» warning that state officials could face charges for enabling fraud. The hearing highlighted bipartisan concerns about government waste and abuse, though the Democratic absence underscored the partisan divide over how to address the issue.
Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators seized on the empty seats as evidence that Democrats are unwilling to confront fraud that may implicate their political allies. Florida political reporter Eric Daugherty noted on social media that «100% of Democrats on the committee were invited – 0% showed up. The party of fraud.» The hearing’s focus on fraud in Democratic-led states and cities, including Minneapolis and Los Angeles, added to the political tension.
Despite the partisan clash, witnesses emphasized that fraud affects all Americans regardless of party affiliation. Shirley concluded his testimony by quoting Elon Musk: «The fraudsters always complain the loudest.» The hearing is expected to lead to further investigations and potential legislation aimed at cracking down on government fraud, though the Democratic boycott suggests deep divisions over the scope and nature of the problem.
