Attention Gavin Newsom: Donald Trumps war on fraud is no bluff

California and Minnesota officials may have to shake down state taxpayers for a billion dollars to pay for their states’ Medicaid programs this year. The reason: Govs.Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz terribly mismanaged their welfare programs and let rampant fraud go unchecked for years.  In March, the Trump administration launched a task force declaring a War on Fraud to clean up the nation’s welfare programs. Medicaid, the nation’s largest medical welfare program, has also been the largest target for fraudsters. Bad actors stealing benefits — and just plan incompetence-driven waste — have made a mess of Medicaid and diverted resources from people who truly need them.

This, while state leaders in charge of protecting the program looked on. That’s why the task force leaders, Vice President JD Vance and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.

Kennedy Jr., are deferring $1 billion in federal Medicaid dollars from the two states with most prolific waste, fraud and abuse. Good.California and Minnesota should answer for their sweeping program neglect.  California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story Earlier this year, Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued to block the withholding of federal funds, but a court refused to go along.With the favorable court ruling and public sentiment on its side, the Trump administration is free to continue to holding states accountable for letting fraudsters loot public welfare programs. It’s no surprise that Democrats are shocked by the new, steep federal penalties. Blue states have let unchecked welfare fraud persist without consequence for years. No more.And it’s about time.

 Democrats are finding out this administration is treating fraud more seriously than any that have come before.�...