3 hours Ago By Sen. Steve Drazkowski
Fraud in Minnesota has spiraled out of control under the Walz administration. There have been at least 25 major fraud scandals in six years, with over half a billion dollars stolen from taxpayers. And what has been done about it? Nothing.
It’s time to change that. Enter the Senate Republicans’ fraud prevention plan, which we unveiled recently.One major obstacle is that state employees who suspect fraud are either too afraid to report it or simply ignore it.
That has to end. I am authoring a bill that makes it clear: If you see fraud, you have a duty to report it. If you don’t, there will be consequences.
Employees who fail to stop fraudulent payments will face real penalties. Agencies that look the other way will have their budgets frozen. No more business as usual.
Minnesota needs a real system to prevent fraud before it happens. The federal government has a "Do Not Pay" list that tracks individuals and entities banned from receiving government funds. We need the same thing here.
If you’ve been caught committing fraud, you shouldn’t be able to keep doing business with the state. That’s common sense.Fraud is a culture problem.
Right now, state government has a culture of looking the other way. That must change. Every employee should know that stopping fraud is their responsibility.
That’s why I’m pushing for annual fraud training, with real accountability. Employees will be required to sign a statement acknowledging the consequences of failing to report fraud. And agencies will be required to act the moment fraud is identified—no more excuses, no more delays.
The people of Minnesota work too hard to see their tax dollars stolen by criminals and ignored by bureaucrats. If the governor won’t act, Senate Republicans will. The days of fraud and corruption being tolerated in Minnesota government need to end now.
New ethics complaint against MitchellMinnesotans expect honesty and accountability from their elected officials, but Democrat Sen. Nicole Mitchell once again violated those values when she voted on a matter that directly affected her own career, political future, and personal financial interests. The Senate’s rules are simple and clear: If a legislator has a conflict of interest, they must disclose it and abstain from voting.
Sen. Mitchell ignored both when she cast the deciding vote that blocked a vote on her own expulsion from the Senate.This wasn’t just a mistake.
It was deliberate. She had 10 months to recognize the conflict. She was reminded of it before the vote.
And she still chose to act in her own self-interest. The consequences were clear: If she had abstained, the Senate could have voted on whether to remove her from office. Instead, she kept her salary, benefits, and the ability to further delay her criminal trial.
Sen. Mitchell’s vote wasn’t just unethical, it was a violation of public trust. The Minnesota Senate has rules for a reason.
Other legislators have followed them when conflicts arise, stepping back when their personal interests are at stake. But Sen. Mitchell seems to think the rules do not apply to her, and the result is a stain on the integrity of the Senate.
Recently I filed an ethics report about Sen. Mitchell’s behavior – the third ethics complaint against her, including another one this year and one from 2024. These ethics complaints are separate from her criminal case.
This is about whether the Senate will hold its members to the same standard as the people they serve. If we allow senators to ignore conflicts of interest and get away with it, we send a dangerous message: that the rules only apply when it’s convenient.Sen.
Steve Drazkowski represents Senate District 20, covering Goodhue County, Wabasha County, and parts of Olmsted, Winona and Dakota counties. He has served in the Legislature since 2007. ]]>.
