By Travis Gillmore

Vice President JD Vance announced the creation of a new assistant attorney general position to help investigate billions of dollars in fraud affecting the federal government during a White House press briefing on Jan. 8.

The announcement follows recent revelations of widespread fraud in Minnesota, with more than 1,500 subpoenas filed and nearly 100 indictments secured, according to the vice president.

“Now, of course, that person’s efforts will start and focus primarily in Minnesota, but it is going to be a nationwide effort, because, unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way,” Vance said, singling out California and Ohio as states where investigations are underway.

“We’ve never seen fraud like this in the history of our country.”

He said the assistant attorney general, under the Department of Justice, will answer to Vance and President Donald Trump.

Administration officials chose the new position rather than assign a special counsel for legal purposes, according to Vance.

“It has all the benefits, all the resources, all the authority of a special counsel, but with two crucial differences,” Vance said, citing White House control and constitutional legitimacy.