A leading lawmaker is accusing Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and her administration of a “massive coverup” in refusing to share potential food stamp fraud numbers with the Trump administration.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins notes that a legislative committee in April found an “error rate” of 12% in the state’s administering of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

Hawkins also says the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “under both the Biden and Trump Administrations, has sent warning letters to Governor Kelly and her Department of Children and Families regarding their ongoing failure to comply with recertification processing deadlines and excessive errors in determining eligibility for food stamps.”

But, even noting USDA requests for participant information in letters July 9, 23 and 25, Kelly’s Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard refused to cooperate in a letter July 30.

Howard cites a lawsuit by several states to block the USDA’s inquiry, claiming in her letter that, “Due to the pending litigation, we are forced to deny the USDA’s request for data at this time. Doing the opposite will place KDCF in a position of potential liability in the event a court finds that the USDA’s demand violates federal law.”

Howard also complained that the USDA’s request for data by July 30 presented “an unreasonable burden that simply cannot be met.”

Citing the USDA’s intent to cross-check SNAP participant data with other federal agencies and programs, Howard argues the USDA’s “demand for personal information goes beyond the scope of administering the program and puts in jeopardy the privacy of hundreds of thousands of Kansans who depend on SNAP to put food on their tables.”

Hawkins sees the situation, instead, as Kelly’s attempt to hide her administration’s losses under the program – accusing Kelly and Howard of engaging “in a massive cover-up of waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“The Kelly administration is withholding information from the USDA that is needed to investigate for fraudulent activity and other illegal actions within the Kansas SNAP program,” a statement from Hawkins’ office reads.

“Due to the incredibly high error rate in the Kansas SNAP program, it makes logical sense that the USDA wants to more closely examine the program. Yet DCF Secretary Howard has refused to release the information.”

“The actions of Governor Kelly and Secretary Howard are truly shocking,” the press release quotes Hawkins. “For years, they’ve made repeated SNAP payments in error, using taxpayer dollars to make payments to those who are not eligible for the program. They’ve repeatedly ignored requests from multiple federal administrations to correct their actions.

“Now they are refusing to release information to the USDA that would allow the federal government to investigate unlawful activity in a program that is funded with federal tax dollars. The Kelly Administration’s handling of this situation stinks to the high heavens. Governor Kelly and her Administration are clearly involved in a cover-up that is not only embarrassing for our state but likely fleecing federal taxpayers of their hard-earned money.

“I encourage the USDA and other federal agencies to take all necessary actions to compel the Kelly administration to cooperate. I will also be encouraging Chair Kristey Williams of the Kansas House Select Committee on Government Oversight to use all available tools to get to the bottom of this situation.

“In addition, I will be bringing this information to the attention of the Kansas federal delegation and the Kansas Attorney General. Kansans deserve accountability and transparency, not political games. The Kelly cover-up must end immediately.”