Independent journalist Nick Shirley was on Capitol Hill Wednesday with a blunt message for Washington: Americans have reached their breaking point. Testifying before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, Shirley said he was there “on behalf of all hardworking, law-abiding, taxpaying citizens here inside of the United States,” and he made clear that patience with government waste and fraud has evaporated.
In his opening statement, Shirley told lawmakers about how he exposed “widespread fraud that’s happening inside our nation,” adding that “we the people have had enough of our hard-earned money going towards fraudsters as if it’s no big deal.” He framed the issue as a betrayal of public trust, asking, “How much do we trust when we pay our taxes that’s going to benefit our nation?”
He contrasted today’s complacency with America’s revolutionary roots. “People erupted during the Boston Tea Party over just a few percentages as they believe they are being taxed without representation,” he said. “Nowadays, we have the representation, but do we trust our representatives?”
Shirley then described how his reporting blew up into a national story.
“My name is Nick Shirley, and I made a 41-minute video that I posted on platforms like X and YouTube,” he said. The response was explosive. “My video received over 100 million views, and it created instant change within our government,” Shirley testified, citing federal investigations and the decision by Health and Human Services to freeze more than $185 million in childcare funding as proof of its impact.
Recommended: Bill and Hillary Clinton Are in Real Trouble Now
He said his trail began in Minnesota in June 2025, when locals approached him with troubling questions. A real estate agent told him she was struggling to sell homes because of mysterious assisted living facilities and home healthcare clinics that had popped up nearby. Shirley recalled responding cautiously: “I’m not gonna come and make a video if I don’t have any proof.”
That proof arrived through a tipster named David. “I have been driving by these childcare centers. I’ve never seen a single child,” David told him, Shirley recounted. When they visited the sites themselves, the scenes were startling. One industrial building housed two registered daycares, yet “all the windows are blacked out,” there were “no footprints in the snow of any children,” and “there’s no playgrounds or anything that would make it look like it’s a childcare.” A sign promised long hours, “but there was nobody there,” and “the doorbell did not even work.”
Then there was the now infamous “Quality Learing Center,” which, despite not being an active daycare center, received $1.9 million in taxpayer dollars.
Shirley took aim at Gov. Tim Walz, who has claimed he has fought fraud since 2019 and that “the buck stops with him.” Shirley asked how anyone could miss that kind of money disappearing year after year. He also accused Walz of smearing him as “a white supremacist, delusional conspiracy theorist,” arguing the scope of the fraud explains why the governor exited the race.
He closed with a generational warning. “People like me, my generation, we’re sick of seeing tax dollars go towards fraud,” Shirley said. “We just want to have the same opportunities that our fathers and our grandparents had.” Fraud, he concluded, demands a serious crackdown. “I wish the best for our country… God bless the USA.”
NICK SHIRLEY: “I'm here today to speak on behalf of all hardworking, law abiding, taxpaying citizens here inside of the United States.”
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 21, 2026
“We the people have had enough of our hard earned money going towards fraudsters, as if it's no big deal.” pic.twitter.com/wniJIVnx47
Want to support fearless journalism that exposes the Left and tells the stories the media won’t? PJ Media delivers the truth and holds the powerful accountable. Become a VIP member today—your support fuels our mission and unlocks exclusive content, podcasts, an ad-free experience, and more.
Use code FIGHT for 60% off. It's a great time to join our movement. Join now and stand for America-first journalism!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member