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Dear Neighbors,
I hope you’ve been able to enjoy the warm temperatures and sunshine as August is quickly approaching. It’s been good to see you out and around town the last couple of months at the many community events that have taken place this summer. As always, if you see me out and about, make sure to say “hi”. It would be great to chat with you about the things that matter most to you and your family.
Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
For years, waste, fraud, and abuse in our public programs have made headlines. None worse than the recent convictions of several individuals as part of the Feeding Our Future scandal. As you may recall, this scandal was the largest example of COVID-era fraud anywhere in the country. In total, it is estimated that more than $250 million intended to feed hungry children, was stolen by fraudsters and used to purchase luxury items and homes.
Just last month, the non-partisan Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a report detailing what went wrong and how the Walz Administration failed to prevent this fraud from taking place.
In their report, the OLA determined that Walz’s Department of Education created opportunities for fraud in this program. More specifically, they:
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Failed to act on warning signs known to the department before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and before the alleged fraud.
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Did not effectively exercise their authority to hold Feeding Our Future accountable to program requirements.
- Was ill-prepared to respond to the issues it encountered with Feeding Our Future.
You can read the full report here.
Additionally, the OLA released another report detailing widespread fraud that occurred in the Frontline Worker Program. This program was established a few years ago to pay out $1,000 bonuses to workers who went “above and beyond” during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes occupations like nurses, nursing home workers, first responders, and more.
The belief was that there would be around 500,000 recipients meaning that each person would receive a $1,000 check as a thank-you for their work during the height of COVID-19.
Instead, over 1 million applicants were approved to receive these bonuses—meaning that the checks came in at $487.45 instead of the expected $1,000.
The OLA report found that 40% of the approved payments were to people who were not eligible or whose eligibility could not be determined. This included fraudulent duplicate applications including many from people who were deceased long before this program opened. In addition, the Department of Revenue did not verify all applicants met the adjusted gross income requirements.
You can read the entire report on the frontline worker pay here.
Finally, we recently received word that the FBI is investigating Minnesota autism centers for possible Medicaid fraud. Reports show the number of providers has increased 700% in the last five years, and payments to those providers have exploded by 3000%.
You can read about this development here.
Combine the fact that Democrats blew through the state’s $18 billion budget surplus, with hundreds of millions, if not billions, of your tax dollars stolen by fraudsters, it’s understandable that Minnesotans are fed up with 100% Democrat control in St. Paul. This sort of unchecked fraud, waste, and abuse is made possible by a culture of complacency and lack of accountability from Democrats.
Now, more than ever, we need to restore balance in the halls of our state government and put a premium on responsibility and accountability. For too long, state leaders have turned a blind eye, offered excuses, and failed to hold state program administrators accountable.
This must end.
Staying in Touch
Today, Friday, marks 60 days from the end of the 2024 legislative session. This means that House members are no longer able to send unsolicited communications to constituents. My email newsletters will resume in November.
Despite this, my job representing you, your family, and our communities does not end so please continue reaching out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns. Email me at [email protected] or call 651-296-4237 to get in touch.
Have a great summer and I’ll see you around town,
Paul
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