Having trouble viewing this email?  [ [link removed] ]View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ].






Bakeberg Banner




04.27.2026






*Legislative Update:* "Fraud & Oversight at the Capitol"

________________________________________________________________________



This legislative session has offered everyone at the Capitol an opportunity to step up and help put an end to the fraud epidemic in our state. There’s been numerous votes, many bills drafted, and a lot of heated debate both on the House floor and in committee.

While I’ve taken pride in my ability to work in a bipartisan manner, I have to be honest about what I’ve seen so far when it comes to the actions of House Democrats in the fight against fraud, because there seems to be a concerning trend.

When it comes to effective oversight and making sure taxpayer dollars are actually protected, most of the proposals that would truly make a difference are being blocked by House Democrats. Instead, they routinely offer oversight bills in name only, typically stripped of any teeth or effective provisions.

A watchdog without any ability to stop the fraud it finds. An investigative body that can’t actually do anything but make a recommendation. This isn’t what we need. It’s not what we deserve.

Just last week on the House floor, we brought forward a simple amendment requiring site visits for organizations receiving significant amounts of state funding. This isn’t complicated. If tens or hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars are going out the door, someone should be showing up, asking questions, and verifying that the money is being used as intended.

That’s exactly what the A3 amendment was meant to fix. It would’ve required agencies to follow up on the grants they hand out, with tiered monitoring based on the size of the grant, including in-person visits and unannounced check-ins for larger awards. It also required financial reconciliation before final payments and allowed the state to withhold funds when reporting requirements weren’t met. Nothing extreme, just basic oversight to make sure taxpayer money is being used as intended.

Right now, that’s not happening. In some cases, agencies have reason to suspect fraud and still aren’t verifying whether these operations even exist or where the money is actually going.

"Watch the Department of Employment and Economic Development confirm they have not done site visits despite evidence of fraud."

e [ [link removed] ]

 

House Democrats voted this amendment down. This is another example of them preventing effective solutions from moving forward.

That’s where the frustration comes in. This is basic accountability. We’ve already seen what happens when oversight is missing. Concerns get raised, but no one follows up. Payments continue, and in some cases, no one even confirms whether the operation exists in the first place.

The bigger issue is that fraud in Minnesota has become systemic instead of isolated. And while both parties claim it needs to be addressed, we’re still not seeing the kind of structural reforms from Democrats that would "actually" fix it. Too often, they side with the status quo or insist on much more lenient “oversight” measures.

Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that doesn’t go to students, families, or communities that rely on these programs. It puts more pressure on taxpayers and makes it harder for schools, providers, and local governments to do their jobs effectively.

Accountability and affordability go hand in hand. Our taxes continue to rise while government services continue to deteriorate. The United States Attorney’s Office estimated the amount we’ve lost to fraud is in the billions, specifically at least $9 billion. I can’t help but imagine what our state would look like today if that money went to the people it was supposed to serve, if it went to improving infrastructure and government services, and if, instead of spending through our surplus to the point of raising taxes, state taxes and fees were allowed to remain lower and people had more money in their pockets to live, enjoy life, and raise families.

I want that for the next generation of Minnesotans, but we can’t get there when half the Legislature’s toughest act on fraud amounts to a sternly worded letter or a statement to the media claiming to be fighting fraud. The same fraud that was allowed to flourish under years of Democrat majorities in the House, the Senate, and the Governor’s office. Not only did the fraud flourish, but when it was pointed out, it was dismissed. Years later, many of these same people are still working, or in the case of DHS, even leading the agencies where tremendous sums of money were mishandled or outright stolen.

We must deliver effective solutions to end this mess. A party that claims to be against this fraud but effectively votes for its continuance can’t be taken seriously.

If we’re not doing the work to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent the right way, we’re making life more expensive for everyone.

At the end of the day, oversight only works if we’re willing to follow through. That means expecting agencies to act, making sure systems are in place to catch problems early, and holding people accountable when they don’t.

If we’re serious about stopping fraud, it starts with getting the basics right.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have questions or want to share your perspective.

Have a great week,

Bakeberg signature

 



________________________________________________________________________



Please Contact Me

Please continue to reach out if I can be of any assistance to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-5185 or by email at [email protected]. 

Have a great weekend! 











Facebook Icon [ [link removed] ]

 

/RepBenBakeberg [ [link removed] ]





658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155
651.296.5185







________________________________________________________________________

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

This service is provided to you at no charge by Minnesota House GOP [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota House GOP · 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. · Saint Paul, MN 55155 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]