Gov. Walz calls on House Republicans to provide whistleblower fraud tips to DHS, BCA

Governor Tim Walz on Thursday called on Republicans in the Minnesota House to provide information regarding alleged fraud to investigators in the Department of Human Services and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

This comes after a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS report that the House Fraud Committee was withholding whistleblower tips from the Department of Human Services. Instead, Committee Chair Rep. Kristin Robbins said the tips are being sent to other investigators, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

We’ve also reported that there’s no evidence that the committee has actually stopped any fraud.

RELATED: House fraud committee withholding whistleblower tips from DHS investigators | Minnesota House fraud committee so far more spotlight than stoplight

“This is outrageous,” Walz said. “I expect political attacks in an election year. What is unacceptable is actively withholding information about fraud and blocking investigations in order to advance a political agenda. If there is fraud, it needs to be investigated immediately — not sat on, redirected, or used for political theater.”

Leading Minnesota Democrats joined Walz’s call, accusing Robbins of withholding information for political gain.

“It is maddening to learn that House Republicans are playing politics with the state’s response to fraud. Rep. Kristin Robbins, who claims to be leading the effort to protect Minnesota taxpayers is in fact deliberately withholding critical information for political gain,” Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said. “Fraud robs people of needed services and damages Minnesotans’ trust in government. So does what Rep. Robbins is doing with whistleblower tips. She has discredited her Fraud Committee, and she has discredited the House Republican caucus. For the last three years, Senate DFLers have driven solutions to fight fraud. We are looking for serious partners in that effort, a list that at this point does not include Rep. Robbins.”

House DFL Leader Zach Stephenson added that the fraud committee “should be about solutions, not spectacle, but if the GOP did anything to solve the problem, they would have to stop using it to score political points.”
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