Fraud Crisis: Democrats Knew, Ignored, and Covered It UpAt our September Fraud Prevention and Oversight Committee hearing, we uncovered what Minnesotans have suspected for years: the Department of Human Services (DHS) has been asleep at the wheel while hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars have been stolen. Programs designed to help the elderly, the disabled, and those truly in need have instead become cash machines for bad actors, and the Walz administration looked the other way. Investigators testified that DHS has suspended payments to 115 providers and identified more than $100 million in suspicious claims. One woman discovered she was billed thousands of dollars for services she never received. Others found their names used by “ghost” providers that exist only on paper. Providers even continued to bill after clients had passed away. These are all red flags that should have been raised at DHS. Instead, they were “flying blind.” A bomb shell Kare 11 report proved that DHS leaders had been made aware of the fraud but chose to ignore it. The level of negligence here is too much to ignore. Either the Walz Administration staff is not qualified to do their jobs, or they are simply complacent or complicit in the fraud occurring under their watch. New evidence of their complacency has since emerged after former Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles wrote in the Star Tribune that Democrats in charge of key committees were told not to hold hearings on fraud reports from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA). Nobles confirmed that DFL leadership actively tried to downplay the problem, shield DHS from scrutiny, and silence the very watchdog meant to expose waste and corruption. One House chair even dismissed proven childcare fraud, saying, “There’s always going to be fraud.” That kind of arrogance is exactly why the problem has exploded. The Walz administration’s response has been to deny, delay, and deflect. This culture of complacency didn’t happen by accident. Democrats, under Tim Walz, have run the state for years, and instead of rooting out corruption, they’ve protected it. Fraud has become a business model under this administration. As former Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said, “We can’t prosecute our way out of this—everyone needs to grab a shovel.” He’s right. Thank you to the numerous local whistleblowers who have come forward to shine a light, including on the fraud that has occurred in St. Cloud. This is our constitutional republic; let’s all do our part to end the fraud! Watch KSTP’s full Minnesota Fraud Recap here: What The Fraud? Federal Shutdown, Obamacare Failures & Minnesota’s Fight to Protect Taxpayers The federal government is currently in the middle of a Democrat-led Shutdown. Their agenda has clearly been to expand government-run healthcare and give it for free to illegal immigrants while our troops and federal workers go without pay. This is what happens when Washington’s priorities are upside down. Since Obamacare became law in 2010, we’ve seen costs climb, premiums skyrocket, and care decline, especially in Minnesota. Every promise of “affordable care” has turned into more bureaucracy, higher costs, and less access for the people who actually pay the bills. Here in Minnesota, Democrats tried to copy that same failed approach, providing state taxpayer-funded MinnesotaCare to illegal immigrants at a projected cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, all paid for by Minnesotans. As of September, a total of 20,694 illegal immigrants had signed up, already triple what Democrats promised for the entire year. Meanwhile, in Washington, Democrats are holding the federal government hostage for the very same idea, expanding taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants while those who serve our country are left waiting for their paychecks. It’s time for Democrats to reopen the government, pay our troops, and stop using hardworking Americans as bargaining chips for their political agenda. We must stop the waste, fraud, and abuse of our tax dollars at every level of government. Closing Thoughts I’ll continue fighting to protect taxpayers, restore fairness, and bring accountability back to state government. From defending girls’ sports to exposing waste and fraud, and stopping taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, these fights matter because they determine what kind of state we leave for the next generation. As October comes to a close, good luck to our area's fall sports teams in the playoffs. Take some time with family, visit with neighbors, and enjoy the fall traditions that make our communities special. God bless, |