Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sparred during a Senate hearing Thursday morning over the federal investigation into fraud in the state.Hawley accused Ellison of participating in a fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of federal funds allocated to social services programs in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors estimate millions of dollars were stolen from the scheme, The Hills reports.“You have been at the center of this program from the beginning, you have enabled it, and you should resign,” Hawley said during his turn at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing.Ellison retorted: “You should resign. I feel the same way about you.”Hawley raised his voice, leveling a series of accusations against Ellison and suggesting the attorney general should be “indicted” as Ellison vehemently denied the lawmakers’ accusations.Hawley claims Ellison and his family profited from the scheme. A whistleblower in Minnesota claimed that Ellison and other state officials knew about the fraud scheme as early as 2019, but officials did not intervene.“For the record, he’s lying, that’s the truth,” Ellison said.The interaction was tense from the start, with Ellison refusing to answer Hawley’s opening question confirming his position.“Mr. Ellison, you’re in my courtroom now, you’re under oath, so I suggest you answer my questions,” Hawley said.Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) stepped in multiple times, telling Hawley, “I think we’ve made our point.”Hawley responded: “Oh, I can ask whatever I want, Senator Paul.”At another point in the exchange, Hawley told Ellison, “This is my hearing, friend.” The two exchanged words and Ellison retorted, “Don’t call me a friend.”“I should call you a prisoner because you deserve to be in jail,” Hawley retorted.Ellison has long been a target of Republican attacks. He was one of Minnesota officials subpoenaed by the Justice Department in January over allegations that state officials interfered with federal immigration operations. Since the immigration enforcement operation began, the attorney general has filed several lawsuits challenging the federal government’s actions in the state.Ellison appeared on a panel with other Minnesota officials, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Minnesota House Republican floor leader Harry Niska and Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell.The second panel at the hearing included U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow, Customs and Border Protection Director Rodney Scott and Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons. Paul asked three immigration officials to appear on panel following the shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis.Ellison also faces a hearing Thursday morning from Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Ashley Moody, R-Fla.Johnson blamed the attorney general for the deaths of two people killed by federal law enforcement in Minnesota.“Attorney General, you did the exact opposite and two people died because you encouraged them to put themselves in danger,” the senator said.Ellison denied Johnson’s accusations.“It was great theater, but it was all lies,” the attorney general said.
 and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison got into a shouting match during a Senate hearing Thursday morning over a federa.){kind=link}