Maple Grove Lawmaker Proposes Expansion To Whistleblower Protections

Maple Grove Lawmaker Proposes Expansion To Whistleblower Protections

A Maple Grove lawmaker is looking to expand protections for state-employed whistleblowers.

Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove), who chairs the new House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, proposed a bill expanding whistleblower protection for those reporting fraud, waste or abuse.

“That will provide additional whistleblower protection for state employees who need it, who honestly are coming out of the woodwork to report to me and our committee on things they have seen at agencies,” Robbins told the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

The committee advanced the bill to House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee on a party-line vote.

The bill comes after scandals, including the Feeding Our Future investigation, revealed hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent spending.

Meanwhile, Republican control of the fraud committee was guaranteed in the deal struck between House leadership last Thursday.

The House Republican Caucus sent a formal letter this week to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting a federal investigation into fraud.

It laid the blame for the fraud at the feet of Gov. Tim Walz and fellow DFLers.

“We write to inform you of years of rampant unchecked fraud occurring in our state due to failed leadership by Governor Tim Walz, his agencies, and legislative Democrats,” the letter reads. “We also ask for your assistance to investigate the growing fraud in our state, which has resulted in over $610 million in precious resources—the great majority of it federal funding for human services programs—not getting to people in need … We therefore seek assistance from the United States Department of Justice to investigate the Walz administration’s continuous inaction that is allowing this fraud to continue.”

Robbins signed the letter along with Speaker of the House Rep. Lisa Demuth and Majority Leader Rep. Harry Niska.

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SOURCE: CCX MEDIA