Ohio Rep. Williams Demands Investigation Into Columbus Child Care Centers Following Minneapolis Fraud Allegations

Ohio State Representative Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, said on Thursday he wants an investigation into child care centers in his state following reports of fraud at facilities in Minneapolis.

Williams and 40 of his colleagues sent a letter to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth calling for unannounced inspections and an audit of Columbus child care centers. The lawmakers cited irregularities similar to those reported in Minnesota, where some centers were vacant or children were not present.

“We’ve had widespread reporting that there’s potential fraud here in the state of Ohio, particularly in the Columbus area,” Williams said on a recent news program. “We’ve seen irregularities similar to what we saw in Minnesota, where you have these child care centers that are vacant or children are not present.”

Williams, who is running for Congress in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, noted that efforts to ensure attendance at child care centers have been hindered by a lack of compliance. “We have over 5,000 child care providers across the state,” he said. “We annually only have to do one inspection of each facility.”

The representative introduced legislation aimed at increasing oversight of these facilities on a daily basis and enhancing penalties for individuals caught committing fraud using taxpayer funds. “Taxpayers deserve better oversight and tougher penalties,” Williams stated. “Especially for illegal immigrants that are here committing these heinous crimes in our community.”

Williams also highlighted concerns about language barriers among child care workers, stating many do not speak proficient English. “How are they getting children ready for kindergarten if they can’t even speak the language that the kids are going to be tested on?” he asked.

“Failing schools in the Columbus area and rampant crime in that community are linked to these issues,” Williams continued. “Kids aren’t prepared to chase the American dream because they’re not receiving qualified education at child care facilities within their own communities.”