Maryland Freedom Caucus Calls for Accountability and Federal Oversight Amid Alleged DHS SNAP Scandal

The Maryland Freedom Caucus has announced a series of actions in response to what it describes as a major scandal at the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to a statement from the group.

According to the statement, senior DHS officials intentionally left correctable SNAP payment errors unresolved, delaying roughly $240 million in federal penalties. In response, the Freedom Caucus sent three letters: one to Governor Wes Moore demanding accountability and calling for the removal of DHS Secretary Rafael López; one to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting federal oversight of Maryland’s SNAP administration; and one to President Donald Trump and Congressman Andy Harris informing them of the situation and the Caucus’s actions.

“This is not about politics, it’s about accountability and corruption,” Delegate Kathy Szeliga, Vice Chair of the Freedom Caucus, said. “When a whistleblower is allegedly fired after reporting that senior state officials schemed to manipulate the SNAP food assistance programs, it demands an investigation. Governor Moore has failed to take this seriously.”

Delegate Matt Morgan, Chair of the Freedom Caucus, added that the allegations raise serious concerns about leadership and integrity.

 “Programs designed to help struggling families should never be used to hide government failure or evade accountability. The lack of transparency from the Governor’s office only deepens the seriousness of this scandal.”

The statement emphasizes that SNAP is a federally funded program subject to strict federal requirements, and that federal oversight is necessary to protect program integrity, taxpayers, and vulnerable families.

Ben Shnider, Senior Advisor to the DHS Secretary and Communications Director, released the following statement to Report Annapolis News: 

"When the Moore-Miller Administration came into office, we inherited a 35.56% SNAP Payment Error Rate, the second-highest in the nation. Since coming into office, we’ve cut that rate by more than 60%, down to 13.64%. We remain focused on continuing to reduce our Payment Error Rate despite the passage of President Trump’s H.R. 1, which creates new administrative burdens for SNAP that not only makes it harder to feed hungry families, but also makes it harder for states to reduce SNAP payment errors.

The notion that DHS employees have done anything other than continue efforts to drive down the SNAP Payment Error Rate is patently false. DHS has been implementing the SNAP provisions of H.R. 1 per federal guidelines since November 1, and training on the implementation is ongoing."