Democrats Run From Fraud Accountability & Republicans Block Far-Left Legislation

Democrats Run From Fraud Accountability

Tensions flared this week, as House Democrats continue their efforts to gut our Office of the Inspector General (OIG) bill, which will establish an independent OIG to investigate and prosecute fraud in our state. Drafted over the course of a year in a joint endeavor between Republicans and Democrats, this bill is a good faith effort to do right by Minnesota taxpayers and establish better guardrails to prevent future fraud. It passed the Senate with a vote count of 60–7, which was an impressive display of bipartisanship in such a polarized time.

However, at the instruction of Governor Walz, House Democrats have attempted to discreetly remove a critical provision of the bill that places the legislature in control of the new OIG, rather than the executive branch, while also limiting the agency's prosecutorial power. This is important because the primary reason that fraud has been able to proliferate for so long in Minnesota is that Governor Walz's executive branch has been reluctant to prosecute the theft of our tax dollars, fearing that it will reflect poorly on his leadership.

Republicans blocked this brazen attempt to sabotage the bill, and I remain committed to passing the original bill that had been agreed upon by both parties. Minnesotans deserve an independent audit authority that is not beholden to the political expediency of whoever resides in the Governor's Mansion.

Paid Family Leave Update

Aside from fraud, the rollout of Minnesota's new Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) program is the topic that I hear the most frequent concerns about from constituents. I want you to know that I hear you, and our House Republican Caucus is working to streamline this bill to reduce the compliance, cash-flow, and staffing burdens that it places upon our state's business community.

Though everyone can agree that there should be some regulation in place to ensure fair treatment of workers, the one-size-fits-all nature of this bill puts undue pressure on businesses, which ultimately leads to decreased investment, as well as higher prices for consumers.

For example, the owner of a 150-employee manufacturing business recently contacted me to inform me that, in order to keep up with the staffing challenges that PFML imposes, he will have to increase his workforce of skilled employees by 30%. This means that he will be hiring 45 new employees, at an annual cost of $5 million, to produce the same amount of goods that he did before. 

Who pays for this? In the short term, it's you—the consumer—in the form of higher prices. In the long term, it's the state economy, in the form of reduced investment.

I continue to advocate for policies that are fair to workers, while protecting Minnesota's overall economic future.

Republicans Protect Your 2A Rights

The DFL is continuing their relentless onslaught on our Second Amendment rights through their introduction of H.F. 3434, which is a bill that would outlaw "semiautomatic military-style assault weapons," as well as magazines with a capacity over 10 rounds. Fortunately, our Republican tie in the House has allowed us to block this bill, and others like it, from becoming law.

However, it is worth noting the extremes to which the far left is willing to go to disarm the public and turn hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Minnesotans into felons overnight. It also highlights Democrats' lack of understanding about how firearms actually work, as the vast majority of semiautomatic firearms have magazine capacities over 10 rounds. Perhaps they should change the language of the bill from banning "high-capacity magazines" to banning "normal-capacity magazines," as that is what they are attempting to do.

Be assured that we are resolute in ensuring that all law-abiding Minnesotans retain access to our inalienable Second Amendment rights, and we will not relent on this issue.

We Remain Optimistic

Our tie in the House has given us significant leverage to stop radical legislation from being passed into law. Despite the persistent noise from the far left in the Twin Cities, it is important to remember that the vast majority of Minnesotans just want to live in a state where we can go to work, raise a family, and provide a better future for our children. Thanks to your efforts as engaged citizens, Republicans have been able to ensure that this still remains the case. I consider it a great privilege to act as your voice in the legislature, and I will not stop fighting on your behalf to uphold the interests of Greater Minnesota.

Tom Murphy

MN State Representative District 9B

Proudly Serving Otter Tail and Douglas Counties

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