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*December 20, 2024
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Robbins1

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

We had a significant shift in the power at the Capitol TODAY when a Ramsey county district judge ruled that Curtis Johnson, the DFL candidate in district 40B, cannot take the oath of office [ [link removed] ] to serve as a Member of the House because he didn’t meet the residency requirements under Minnesota law. 

The DFL has already pledged to appeal the decision, but if it is upheld, *it* *means that Republicans will start session with a 67-66 Majority and will have the votes to elect our Speaker-designate, Lisa Demuth, as Speaker of the House.  *Governor Walz will have to order a Special Election, which could be held sometime in late February or March.  Depending on the outcome, we could revert to a 67-67 tie during the 2025 legislative session.  Keep reading to learn more!

This week, we finalized House committee rosters and continue to make personnel decisions that will shape our work in the upcoming session. These decisions are vital as we gear up to lead with a renewed focus on fiscal responsibility and accountability in state government, especially as we work to cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse.

This is especially relevant because, last week, a massive new fraud scheme started to unravel when the FBI raided several autism centers around the state. Reporter Deena Winter first reported on this suspected fraud and subsequent FBI investigation back in June. Keep reading to learn more!

This will be my last newsletter of 2024!  I hope you all have a joyful holiday season with your families and that 2025 is filled with blessings and peace!  I look forward to spending time with my family over the next week, baking cookies, playing games, and getting out to enjoy the snow! ??  Whatever your traditions, I hope your hearts are filled with gratitude for the many blessings we have been given!   







Executive Summary

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A Republican Majority... For Now

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New Fraud Case Unraveling

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New OLA Report

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Prayer at the Capitol






A Republican Majority... For Now

Today, a judge in Ramsey County ruled that DFLer Curtis Johnson did not live in the district he was elected to represent, District 40B in Roseville.  He is therefore is ineligible to become a member of the House of Representatives. 

According to the judge’s order:  “Johnson’s failure to maintain a residence in District 40B for the entire six months prior to the election was a deliberate, serious, and material violation of Minnesota election law.”

If this decision is upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court, Republicans will have a 67-66 majority in the chamber until his seat is filled by a special election.  While we will be unable to pass legislation out of the House without a 68th vote, we will be able to control the Committees and pass common-sense bills to the General Register, ready for action on the House floor.  We hope we will get bipartisan support for bills that Minnesotans have told us to prioritize:  eliminating fraud and abuse of taxpayers’ money, making life more affordable, and ensuring we have safe communities, good transportation systems and excellent schools. 

And don't forget - there is still another outstanding election contest in Shakopee where DFLer Brad Tabke won reelection by 14 votes with 21 ballots having been lost or destroyed.  The court is expected to rule in that case by December 30th.






New OLA Report

This week, we also saw the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor release another damning report on the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS). The audit revealed serious financial mismanagement, including:


* Failing to recover over $40 million in overpayments to Medical Assistance providers.
* Inadequate internal controls over taxpayer funds.
* Misreporting financial data to MMB since 2019.

This pattern of waste and mismanagement is unacceptable - Minnesotans deserve better from their state agencies. Republican committee chairs have sent letters to all 25 state agency commissioners, demanding transparency on expenditures, cost-saving opportunities, and efficiency improvements. This is just the first step in our plan to rein in excessive spending and cut the deficit.

As we head into the 2025 session, Republicans are focused on delivering accountability and responsible governance. I’ll continue to keep you updated on these and other important issues.






New Fraud Case Unraveling

Last week, a massive new fraud scheme started to unravel when the FBI raided [ [link removed] ]several autism centers around the state. Reporter Deena Winter first reported [ [link removed] ] on this suspected fraud and subsequent FBI investigation back in June.

Over the past few years, the number of autism centers in Minnesota has increased by 700% while funding to those centers increased by a whopping 3,000%, from $6 million to $192 million. In response to that June article, despite these massive increases, an assistant commissioner of the Department of Human Services called the 3000% increase in funding “pretty consistent” with other government programs, and continued by saying “I don’t think we are surprised or particularly disturbed by the rate of growth.”

If there truly is as much fraud occurring as the FBI thinks, this scandal could rival the infamous Feeding Our Future scandal which saw $250 million taxpayer dollars intended to feed hungry kids stolen. 

It seems like a new instance of fraud is discovered every day in Minnesota. Our Caucus will prioritize stopping the fraud in 2025.






Prayer in the Capitol

This week, in response to a recently-erected satanic shrine in the Capitol, dozens of Minnesotans came together in prayer. Together, we sang Christmas songs and prayed for the future of our state.

*I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and hope you all enjoy this meaningful season with your families!  Best wishes for 2025!*






kr2kr3




Please Contact Me

Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance.

The best way to reach me is by email: [email protected]. For occasional updates, you can follow my Facebook Page at @RepKristinRobbins. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked every weekday while we are in session.

Of course, if you are coming to the Capitol, I’d love to meet you! Please reach out if you would like to set-up an in-person meeting. 

Have a great weekend!

 

Kristin











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