Minnesota human services officials skip fraud hearing as Walz promises reform
What's the endgame here?
Minnesota Department of Human Services (MNDHS) officials skipped a key hearing this week held by a state House fraud prevention panel, earning the ire of its chairwoman as Gov. Tim Walz separately promised reform.
MNDHS was expected to face tough questions at the hearing, which featured a former judge and Catholic diocesan official appointed by Walz to investigate "program integrity" in the state.
"I’m incredibly frustrated that they ghosted us," House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins said, as she has since sent a letter to the department demanding answers.
Robbins, a suburban Minneapolis Republican who is also running for governor, previously said state leaders "knew this was going on and they allowed it to continue."
YOUTUBER TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON MINNESOTA'S MASSIVE $9B FRAUD NETWORK INVESTIGATION
At the top of Monday's hearing, Robbins verbally recognized the absence of MNDHS, as she introduced the session as one "discussing the roadmap to program integrity and fraud prevention, followed by an informational hearing and discussion of periodic data matching."
"Before we begin, is there anyone in the Department of Human Services in the audience? I don't see anyone," she said. "So I just want to note for the record that [MN]DHS was invited to be available in the audience to answer questions today after Judge O'Malley's presentation. And they have apparently declined to come, which is very frustrating."
MINNESOTA 'ON THE CLOCK' AS HHS THREATENS PENALTIES OVER CHILDCARE FRAUD SCANDAL
Robbins said it was the second such hearing that MNDHS ignored, and that she would be contacting MNDHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi.
"She may not always be able to attend, but there are a lot of employees at that agency [including] someone who especially can speak to periodic data matching should have been here for that portion of the hearing."
Instead, Robbins moved on to testimony from Tim O’Malley, a retired judge and St. Paul archdiocesan official, who was recently appointed by Walz as state director of Program Integrity.
"Minnesota has experienced extensive, well-documented fraud in programs designed to serve the state's most vulnerable residents. The state's ineffectiveness in combating that fraud has wasted taxpayer dollars, enriched criminals, eroded public confidence, and impeded the delivery of essential services to Minnesotans in need," O’Malley said.
In a video interview with Fox News Digital, Robbins expounded on her earlier reported comments, saying it was "very disappointing" to see MNDHS no-show.
TAFOYA RIPS WALZ 'DODGING' ACCOUNTABILITY …
What's the endgame here?
Minnesota Department of Human Services (MNDHS) officials skipped a key hearing this week held by a state House fraud prevention panel, earning the ire of its chairwoman as Gov. Tim Walz separately promised reform.
MNDHS was expected to face tough questions at the hearing, which featured a former judge and Catholic diocesan official appointed by Walz to investigate "program integrity" in the state.
"I’m incredibly frustrated that they ghosted us," House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins said, as she has since sent a letter to the department demanding answers.
Robbins, a suburban Minneapolis Republican who is also running for governor, previously said state leaders "knew this was going on and they allowed it to continue."
YOUTUBER TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON MINNESOTA'S MASSIVE $9B FRAUD NETWORK INVESTIGATION
At the top of Monday's hearing, Robbins verbally recognized the absence of MNDHS, as she introduced the session as one "discussing the roadmap to program integrity and fraud prevention, followed by an informational hearing and discussion of periodic data matching."
"Before we begin, is there anyone in the Department of Human Services in the audience? I don't see anyone," she said. "So I just want to note for the record that [MN]DHS was invited to be available in the audience to answer questions today after Judge O'Malley's presentation. And they have apparently declined to come, which is very frustrating."
MINNESOTA 'ON THE CLOCK' AS HHS THREATENS PENALTIES OVER CHILDCARE FRAUD SCANDAL
Robbins said it was the second such hearing that MNDHS ignored, and that she would be contacting MNDHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi.
"She may not always be able to attend, but there are a lot of employees at that agency [including] someone who especially can speak to periodic data matching should have been here for that portion of the hearing."
Instead, Robbins moved on to testimony from Tim O’Malley, a retired judge and St. Paul archdiocesan official, who was recently appointed by Walz as state director of Program Integrity.
"Minnesota has experienced extensive, well-documented fraud in programs designed to serve the state's most vulnerable residents. The state's ineffectiveness in combating that fraud has wasted taxpayer dollars, enriched criminals, eroded public confidence, and impeded the delivery of essential services to Minnesotans in need," O’Malley said.
In a video interview with Fox News Digital, Robbins expounded on her earlier reported comments, saying it was "very disappointing" to see MNDHS no-show.
TAFOYA RIPS WALZ 'DODGING' ACCOUNTABILITY …
Minnesota human services officials skip fraud hearing as Walz promises reform
What's the endgame here?
Minnesota Department of Human Services (MNDHS) officials skipped a key hearing this week held by a state House fraud prevention panel, earning the ire of its chairwoman as Gov. Tim Walz separately promised reform.
MNDHS was expected to face tough questions at the hearing, which featured a former judge and Catholic diocesan official appointed by Walz to investigate "program integrity" in the state.
"I’m incredibly frustrated that they ghosted us," House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins said, as she has since sent a letter to the department demanding answers.
Robbins, a suburban Minneapolis Republican who is also running for governor, previously said state leaders "knew this was going on and they allowed it to continue."
YOUTUBER TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON MINNESOTA'S MASSIVE $9B FRAUD NETWORK INVESTIGATION
At the top of Monday's hearing, Robbins verbally recognized the absence of MNDHS, as she introduced the session as one "discussing the roadmap to program integrity and fraud prevention, followed by an informational hearing and discussion of periodic data matching."
"Before we begin, is there anyone in the Department of Human Services in the audience? I don't see anyone," she said. "So I just want to note for the record that [MN]DHS was invited to be available in the audience to answer questions today after Judge O'Malley's presentation. And they have apparently declined to come, which is very frustrating."
MINNESOTA 'ON THE CLOCK' AS HHS THREATENS PENALTIES OVER CHILDCARE FRAUD SCANDAL
Robbins said it was the second such hearing that MNDHS ignored, and that she would be contacting MNDHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi.
"She may not always be able to attend, but there are a lot of employees at that agency [including] someone who especially can speak to periodic data matching should have been here for that portion of the hearing."
Instead, Robbins moved on to testimony from Tim O’Malley, a retired judge and St. Paul archdiocesan official, who was recently appointed by Walz as state director of Program Integrity.
"Minnesota has experienced extensive, well-documented fraud in programs designed to serve the state's most vulnerable residents. The state's ineffectiveness in combating that fraud has wasted taxpayer dollars, enriched criminals, eroded public confidence, and impeded the delivery of essential services to Minnesotans in need," O’Malley said.
In a video interview with Fox News Digital, Robbins expounded on her earlier reported comments, saying it was "very disappointing" to see MNDHS no-show.
TAFOYA RIPS WALZ 'DODGING' ACCOUNTABILITY …
