When a debate erupted over high-level fraud on the Dec. 29 episode of “NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” few predicted that Phillip would need to step in and school roundtable fixture Scott Jennings about Trump’s pardons and selective accountability.
The perennially composed Phillip regularly watches the Republican pundit on her popular CNN news show representing the MAGA viewpoint, but his selective outrage regarding the Somali Medicaid scandal was just too much.
In a clip that’s quickly going viral, Phillip’s confused face said it all.
Jennings had been railing against the alleged Medicaid fraud at daycare centers owned by Somali immigrants in Minnesota when he made a dramatic statement, “When is someone in a position of power going to go to jail for the rape and fraud? You can put all the low-level people in jail you want, but until someone in charge goes to jail, it won’t stop.”
“Hold on a second,” Phillip interjected with a quizzical look, before listing off a string of controversial pardons issued by Trump since he took office.
Jennings: When is someone in a position of power going to go to jail?
Phillip: Trump pardoned Devon Archer, pardoned Trevor Milton, who committed fraud, lied to his shareholders. $660 million. That was supposed to go back to shareholders. Wiped away. Carlos Watson also defrauded… pic.twitter.com/X8dTCALnGW
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 30, 2025
“Trump has pardoned Devon Archer, $60 million in forfeiture and restitution wiped away. He has pardoned Trevor Milton, who committed fraud, lied to his shareholders. $660 million. That was supposed to go back to shareholders. Wiped away.”
Phillip continued: “Carlos Watson also defrauded people. Ninety-seven million in penalties wiped away. David Gentile ran a $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme. Sentence commuted.” Breaking it down in the simplest terms, she explained to Jennings that “fraud is bad, fraud should be prosecuted.”
“This president is pardoning and commuting the sentences of fraudsters all the time,” she added.
In a brief moment of capitulation, Jennings raised his hands. “I have no defense for anyone who commits fraud,” he said, but it appears Phillip’s message didn’t fully register, as the two proceeded to talk over each other before the clip ended.
“What I am telling you,” Jennings stated, “is in the case of these states and locals, this is public money, taxpayer money, people get elected… the Medicaid program is run by the state, and they brag about putting more money into these daycare systems that are obviously rife with fraud.”
Federal crackdowns in Minnesota have been widespread and ongoing since at least 2023, resulting in numerous charges and convictions. Prosecutors allege that people of Somali background have stolen hundreds of millions to possibly billions of federal funds intended for low-income individuals and children in the North Star State.
In December, the scandal exploded in the news after a viral video posted by right-wing influencer Nick Shirley purported to expose fraud at Somali-owned day care centers, sparking a new wave of crackdowns.
U.S. Homeland Security officials have been visiting Minneapolis businesses to interview workers, and Republicans are calling for deportations. On Dec. 30, Trump announced he would freeze childcare funds to the state of Minnesota.
“The DOJ is prosecuting those people all the time,” Phillip told Jennings, looking exasperated. “It happens under Republicans, and it happens under Democrats. It happens in red states. It happens in blue states. But the other part of this is an attempt to make this about Somalis in general, as opposed to just about the people who are responsible.”
As one person quipped in the comments on X: “Jennings is a chump.”
“Oh Scott Jennings…what an arrogant and smarmy little shit you are,” another viewer replied.
Many others agreed with Phillp. As one put it: “Trump’s ‘law and order’ charade implodes: Dec 23 pardons freed fraudsters who stole $2.4B from retirees and tribes. Gentile’s $1.7B Ponzi pardon epitomizes this betrayal of 17,000 families. Justice is now a luxury only the wealthy and politically connected can afford.”
Great Job Grace Jidoun & the Team @ Atlanta Black Star Source link for sharing this story.
