A group of Democratic state attorneys general collectively declined an invitation to a White House roundtable focused on anti-fraud initiatives, citing a lack of professional courtesy regarding the event’s scheduling. The meeting, led by Vice President JD Vance, was intended to discuss the newly formed Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Democratic officials expressed frustration after receiving invitations only one business day prior to the event, noting that their Republican counterparts had been invited significantly earlier.

In a formal letter addressed to the Vice President, 24 Democratic attorneys general explained that the short notice prevented meaningful participation. They emphasized that while they remain committed to combating waste and abuse within government programs, the lack of a provided agenda and the rushed timeline did not reflect a genuine spirit of collaboration. Consequently, the group opted to skip the session, with some officials scheduling a separate press conference to address the matter.

Despite the boycott, the administration maintained that the task force is intended to be a non-partisan effort. The initiative, established by President Donald Trump in March, aims to address systemic fraud within federal benefit programs, including housing, food assistance, and Medicaid. While the Democratic attorneys general were absent from the primary discussion, some offices opted to send senior staff members to represent their interests at the meeting, which also featured Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson.

The Democratic coalition stated that they are open to future cooperation, provided that there is appropriate notice and a structured opportunity for dialogue. The White House has not issued a formal response to the letter, as the administration continues to push forward with its mandate to audit and secure the integrity of state-administered federal funding programs, which have recently come under scrutiny for high rates of error and alleged fraud.