May 19-20, 2018
May 19 02:50 Mary Franson's child care expertise May 19 11:10 CAIR's spin, ISAIHMN's help May 19 13:55 Dayton/DFL dysfunctionality defined May 19 20:08 Wolgamott's whining May 19 22:06 Roads & bridges vs. general fund May 19 23:30 MNLARS, Dayton cripple registrars May 20 19:42 Rosenstein vs. Grassley
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Mary Franson's child care expertise
When it comes to child care issues, Rep. Mary Franson is the go-to person. As I do each week, I get an e-letter update from Rep. Franson. This week, the highlight of Rep. Franson's e-letter was her work on the child care issue. The letter states "A shocking report recently revealed upwards of $100 million of state childcare subsidies being allocated to fraudulent childcare facilities, and then funneled overseas - possibly ending up in the hands of terrorist organizations. In the days following this report, I have received countless calls and emails from people who are rightfully outraged with this level of fraud at the expense of our state's taxpayers."
It continues, saying "In response to this concerning report, House Republicans unveiled legislation to prevent childcare fraud and ensure fraudulent public program dollars aren't sent to countries on the US State Department travel ban list."
Included were the highlights of the proposal:
- Allows Department of Human Services (DHS) to use "Immediate Temporary Suspensions" to close childcare providers that do not fully cooperate with investigators if they are suspected of fraud.
- Creates criminal and civil penalties for those who transfer fraudulent public program funds to countries on the US State Department travel ban list.
- Creates increased fraud prevention measures in public programs including Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and other welfare programs.
- Directs the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) to investigate CCAP.
Additionally, on the House floor on Tuesday, I successfully offered an amendment to a bill to mandate DHS take money from its existing budget and allocate it for training for childcare licensing agencies to identify and prevent fraud in the child care assistance program. This is, by far, the biggest Minnesota news story this year. In this post , I wrote that the Dayton administration ignored this fraud:
According to Stillman, he alerted a number of people in DHS, including the Commissioner's Chief of Staff, with the following message: "Significant amount of these defrauded dollars are being sent overseas to countries and organizations connected to entities known to fund terrorists and terrorism."
Finally, I'm as appalled as Rep. Franson about this:
I remain deeply troubled that nearly $100 million dollars per year have been fraudulently billed to the state of Minnesota. This breach of public trust indicates that DHS has failed in its duty to protect Minnesota taxpayers, and ensure childcare assistance dollars are going to those who truly need it to afford childcare. This bill starts the conversation as the legislature now intends to prevent future cases of fraud and hold DHS accountable.
The Dayton administration is filled with cronies who weren't held accountable. This is why a legislator shouldn't be elected governor. They've never run things. Gov. Dayton, as a former US senator, never ran things. That shows in this list of Dayton administration mistakes:
Unfortunately, the widespread fraud of childcare assistance funds is just the latest in a series of blunders by the Dayton Administration's state agencies. This repeated pattern is highlighted by complications with MNsure's rollout; MN IT Services' failed handling of MNLARS; and the inability of DHS to accurately bill tens of thousands of MNcare enrollees. Failures such as these demonstrate the lack of accountability within this administration, and each instance of mismanagement has cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Simply stated, Minnesotans have grown frustrated with this administration's inability to effectively provide services through taxpayer-funded government programs.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2018 2:50 AM
No comments.
CAIR's spin, ISAIHMN's help
When CAIR-MN gets riled up, it's my experience that it's because they're defending the indefensible. That's what they did this past week. With help from ISAIAHMN, CAIR-MN went on the offensive, saying "Today the Somali-American business community and Muslim faith leaders of Minnesota called out recent scapegoating and grandstanding by some Republican politicians in the legislature. Several harmful bills have been introduced in the final days of this legislative session that do nothing to resolve the issues of families needing resources and instead engender divisive, fearful rhetoric about Minnesota's African immigrant and Muslim communities. 'These bills introduced specifically target our communities and our transferring of money to our loved ones in Somalia,' said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-Minnesota. 'This is a cynical attempt to use African immigrant and Muslim communities as a political football in the final days of the legislative session.'"
Predictably, Jaylani Hussein is leaving out important information. That's his job. What he's omitting is this :
In order for the scheme to work, the daycare centers need to sign up low income families that qualify for child care assistance funding. Surveillance videos from a case prosecuted by Hennepin County show parents checking their kids into a center, only to leave with them a few minutes later. Sometimes, no children would show up. Either way, the center would bill the state for a full day of childcare.
Video from that same case shows a man handing out envelopes of what are believed to be kickback payments to parents who are in on the fraud.
That's how these poverty-stricken people get the money to send millions of dollars 'home', if that's where it actually ends up. Hussein is whining because people are complaining because a group of people are committing fraud. That's essentially stealing money. How dare these people steal this money. Minnesota taxpayers funded a program in good faith to help people but the people it's supposed to benefit pilfer the money. It's illegal to tell the state that children are using a whole day of child care when they're at the child care center only minutes each day. That's called fraud.
Turn on the waterworks all you want but crime is crime. A whistleblower stepped forward to expose this operation. Now that this operation has been exposed, CAIR-MN is Johnny-on-the-spot to spin this as just another attempt to keep Muslims down. What's more disgusting is that ISAIAHMN is right there supporting them. Apparently, the rule of law isn't important to either organization.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2018 11:10 AM
Comment 1 by Bob Carrillo at 20-May-18 10:55 AM
IF you are waiting for this pattern of warped and barbaric behavior to change, please accept my best wishes, and my condolences as well..
In the latest news broadcast (KMSP FOX TV - Minneapolis) relating to what now looks like a "$200 Million Dollar Day Care Billing Scam", over the course of the past two years alone, perpetrated against the taxpayers of Minnesota, the Somali "community (only 2% of Minnesota's population), manages to focus on "how difficult it is to send money back to their families & friends", and that there are "risks involved FOR THEM in doing so"... ...NOT THE SCAM & THEFT ITSELF!
MN CAIR Director, Jaylani Hussein, claims that because there are more Somali's here (Minnesota) now, and "that there is more wealth in their community now", and that this is a challenge FOR THEM.. ...NEVER MENTIONING THE THEFT, NOR THE SCAM...
...Not one word of contrition, or shame, or accountability, or remorse, due to the FACT, that this SCAM was known throughout the entire Somali "community", and no one said a word. NOT ONE!
..According to the prior KMSP TV news report, and FBI & BCA sting operation, their brothers and sisters of their "community" were actually buying "shares" in the "food chain of theft" per this particular scam and massive theft in Minnesota, and then actually schooling other members of their nationwide "community", and network of thieves, as to how to do the same thing throughout the entire U.S.
...This very same pattern of massive theft and corruption is also going on all over the world, to include, western Europe, The UK, and Australia as well..
In short, and once again, per the most recent KMSP TV 9 broadcast (Minneapolis),THEY ARE THE OH-SO-SAD 'REFUGEE' VICTIMS, and any criticism of this (and many other social services system(s) scams) - also in the millions the theft of Minnesota taxpayer dollars - , should of course be seen as "ISLAMOPHOBIA"...and NOT what it actually is; "ORGANIZED CRIME"..
EVERY Minnesota "Social Services" program should be subjected to IMMEDIATE AUDIT AND INVESTIGATION IMMEDIATELY! You can be fairly certain that all facets of OUR "cradle-to-grave Minnesota WELFARE & Social Services programs have been corrupted...and much in the same way.
Again, IF you are waiting for this pattern of warped and barbaric behavior to change, please accept my best wishes, and my condolences as well.. Because you might just be the biggest blind fool on the planet.
...Just 2% of our Minnesota population folks, committing all this crime and violence, stealing all this money, and directly involved with all this "imported" chaos!
And, their biggest challenge and "risk" is sending all of OUR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS of OUR resources back home to support terrorists in Somalia and east Africa?
Islamophobia? This my friends, is the sometimes-useful-byproduct-of-a-bull!..
Dayton/DFL dysfunctionality defined
This past month has defined the DFL's dysfunctionality in ways that the media haven't wanted exposed. The Twin Cities media haven't been great investigative journalists for most of the past 5-7 years. Last night on Almanac, one of the things that the Roundtable discussed was the 2018 midterm election. DFL activist Abou Amara said something terribly foolish when he said "Well, remember this election doesn't happen in a vacuum. You have millions of people across this country mobilizing in response to President Trump's first 2 years in office. And so Minnesotans want to see their government work and so, when they see the dysfunction at the national level and then they see that creep into their state government and, oh by the way, Republicans control the House and they control the Senate. The first opportunity that Minnesotans get to elevate their voices in an election, it's going to be with the House Republican majority on the ballot."
With little due respect to Mr. Amara, it's difficult to find a coherent thought in that diatribe. The first point that must be highlighted is the fact that the legislature has nothing to do with putting the MNLARS system together. They just appropriate the money. It's the Dayton administration that's responsible for making the system work. That's the executive branch's responsibility.
It's also the Dayton administration's responsibility to investigate nursing homes when our vulnerable senior citizens die. The Dayton administration failed that responsibility terribly. That isn't on the Republican legislature, either.
Third, it was the Dayton administration that dropped the ball on not catching the child care fraud that's been happening for the past few years. A whistleblower told the chief of staff of the Human Services Commissioner about this fraud in 2014. What's astonishing is that it's gotten worse in that time.
What's happened in that segment is that Mr. Amara has made a strong case for defeating the DFL's gubernatorial candidate because they're incompetent and disinterested in making government operate smoothly. Instead of investing their energy in making existing government work, the DFL is invested in creating more dysfunctional government. That isn't what voters want. They want government that does what it's supposed to do. They want government that operates smoothly, too. That isn't what they're currently getting.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2018 1:58 PM
No comments.
Wolgamott's whining
We haven't gotten to the campaign yet and I'm already tired of his whining. In this LTE , Wolgamott essentially whines about the tough job of governing, saying "But unfortunately, our current elected officials aren't making our kids a priority. We've seen the same story play out too many times in our schools: budget deficits that lead to increased class sizes, fewer opportunities for our kids than we had, and when budget deficits get too large, a referendum for a higher local levy. Lily and all of her classmates deserve an outstanding education and a chance to succeed! If we want Minnesota to continue to be a leader, we have to do better, and the Republican-led Legislature needs to step up and adequately fund our schools."
First, the only thing that Minnesota is a leader in is having people leave the state for other destinations. The state demographer verifies that. So does the IRS. Next, liberal-infested school boards are to blame for this manufactured crisis. We're told that 59 school districts are running deficits. Then we're told that 10 percent per biennium spending increases aren't enough. When's the last time you got a 10% increase in your wage over 2 years and it wasn't enough? Third, Mr. Wolgamott, what's your definition of 'adequately funding our schools'? Is there a definition? I suspect there isn't.
But even with a budget surplus, Republicans in the legislature, including Rep. Jim Knoblach, are refusing to support the Emergency School Aid proposal. Some even questioned whether there is an emergency or need for the funding. Politicians are continuing to shortchange our schools just to put corporations and the wealthy first. That's just not right, and it's not fair to our children.
I'm tired of the DFL's lying about Republicans shortchanging kids so they can "put corporations and the wealthy first." It's an outright lie. First, Republicans are willing to work with Gov. Dayton on addressing the needs of the 59 districts. They just aren't willing to add 2% to the K-12 spending formula, which helps schools running surpluses and those running deficits. Instead, Gov. Dayton is insisting on his way only. That isn't negotiating. That's what autocrats do.
Next, it's worth noting that Mr. Wolgamott intentionally omitted the part about a GOP counteroffer. Why? It's impossible to climb inside a mind like Wolgamott's but I suspect it's because he wants to create the impression that Republicans simply don't care about education. Anyone that works that hard at creating the impression that Republicans don't care isn't the type of guy that'd bring people together. I don't have to question whether Jim Knoblach can bring people together. I've seen him do it. I must question Wolgamott on bringing people together because all I've got to go on is his claim that he'll bring people together. That isn't much to go on with someone as deceptive as he is.
Ensuring all of our children have access to a great education is critical for the future of our state. It's the key to good jobs and a great economy, and making sure our kids can live a better life than their parents. It's time for leaders from both parties to work together and pass this Emergency School Aid. And if they won't, let's replace them with people who will put our kids first.
What Mr. Wolgamott didn't say in that paragraph is that Minnesota also needs competitive tax rates and fewer regulations to create jobs and a bright future. Apparently, Wolgamott hasn't figured it out that people from each age group and each income group are leaving Minnesota because Minnesota just isn't the desirable state to live in anymore thanks to the DFL's policies.
We've had divided government, in which case the DFL won the budget fight. We've had unified DFL government, which resulted in the DFL winning the budget fight. What we haven't had is unified Republican government. What we know is that Gov. Dayton and the Metrocrats have spent tons of money on Twin Cities things while ignoring rural Minnesota. That's why voters threw out DFL legislators and gave the legislative keys to Republicans.
That's pretty astonishing considering the fact that Gov. Dayton repeatedly told voters that he wanted DFL majorities in the House and Senate in 2017. Instead, voters gave him Republican majorities in the House and Senate in 2017. They know the Dayton plan isn't working. What's most needed is competence, something that's been lacking in the governor's mansion the past 8 years. Think MNLARS, MNsure, the nursing home crisis and the child care fraud scandal.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2018 8:08 PM
No comments.
Roads & bridges vs. general fund
Perhaps the people who wrote this LTE didn't realize it but it frames an important question satisfactorily. Todd Holthaus and Dave Smiglewski state "A proposal making its way through the Minnesota House and Senate would ask voters to change the State Constitution to permanently dedicate the revenue attributable to the sales tax on auto parts to roads and bridges. These funds, almost $300 million per year, currently go to the state's general fund, the same pool of money that supports things like schools and Local Government Aid (LGA)."
Actually, the truth is that the money from those sales taxes are used to pay for K-12 education, LGA, nursing homes, veterans care and a lengthy list of other things. It pays for things like Community Action Minneapolis, which used the money to fund Caribbean vacations for corrupt Twin Cities politicians. It also pays for child care fraud to help the 'folks back home'. Back home in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, that is. Unfortunately, Messrs. Holthaus and Smiglewski didn't think that information was important.
Make no mistake about it, Minnesota's roads and bridges need help. However, diverting money away from the general fund will either cause pain to other important state programs or require the state to raise taxes to make up the shortfall. That is why we urge legislators and the public to reject this proposed constitutional amendment.
Messrs. Holthaus and Smiglewski didn't admit that economies built on pro-growth policies matter. Holthaus and Smiglewski base their opinion on policies that aren't pro-growth, that don't unleash the private sector. The best way to consistently have enough money for government's core functions is a strong economy. The DFL's policies hurt too many people in rural Minnesota. The DFL's buffer strip legislation hurts farmers. The DFL's wild rice rule hurts miners. The DFL's anti-fossil fuel policies hurt all Minnesotans.
Budgets are about setting priorities. For decades, the DFL has pushed the myth that funding equals great educational outcomes. The DFL hasn't had a new idea on education since Wendy Anderson was governor. That's because the DFL is owned by Education Minnesota.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2018 10:06 PM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 20-May-18 01:57 PM
What these two morons and the progressive's are really saying is "this is own money to squander as we see fit so keep your hands off of it". I guarantee the amendment fails because of the ads Ed. MN, AFSME, and other will run saying it will take money from kids and public employees.
Comment 2 by Rexnewman at 20-May-18 05:35 PM
And I will vote no because it's bad policy to clutter any Constitution with relative minutia like this. Plus, the Legislature can easily maneuver around this.
Comment 3 by Chad Q at 21-May-18 05:19 PM
You are correct Rex. When the progressive's take over full control again (which will happen again, don't kid yourself), They will say they no longer need to pass bills for R & B's or bond for them because there's already three constitutional amendments dedicating money for R & B's and/or transportation so they are going to spend more money on social engineering and welfare. Hope I'm out of this god forsaken state before that happens.
MNLARS, Dayton cripple registrars
Gov. Dayton is quickly becoming known as the most inept governor in Minnesota history. In just the past year, he's screwed up the implementation of a new MNLARS system, his Human Services Department failed to investigate the deaths of seniors in elder care facilities and didn't notice the rampant fraud in child care centers. Other than those things, Gov. Dayton had run a virtually flawless administration this year. That's until we got this statement from Rep. Dave Baker:
On Saturday, Governor Mark Dayton announced a veto of a bill authored by Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, to provide $9 million of aid to deputy registrars to help offset the numerous costs incurred following the rollout of the state's vehicle licensing system, MNLARS. The bill, HF2835, passed on wide bipartisan votes in the legislature; 101-19 in the House and 46-20 in the Senate.
"By vetoing this bipartisan bill, the governor is once again failing to live up to his promise to take responsibility for MNLARS' failures, leaving our deputy registrars behind as a result," said Baker. "The failure of Governor Dayton and his agencies to produce a working licensing system is costing deputy registrars around the state countless dollars due to staffing of overtime work, slow processing times, and delays caused by MNLARS. It's unconscionable to not lend a helping hand to registrars who are trying to navigate this broken system; the governor should be ashamed."
Prior to Saturday's veto, Governor Dayton nor his commissioners contacted Rep. Baker in an effort to reach a compromise. "As chief author of this bill, the Dayton Administration never contacted me to tell me of any issues with our bill language to provide relief for deputy registrars," said Baker. "He has apologized and taken responsibility for the mess, but is doing nothing to help people whose livelihoods he has hurt as a result of the MNLARS mess."
Think about this. The bill passed by veto-proof margins in the House and Senate. This is the definition of strong bipartisan support, something that governors have praised (and wished for) for years. Instead of signing the bill, Gov. Dayton vetoed a bill that would've fixed a situation that his incompetence created.
Gov. Dayton's statement that he's taking responsibility for the MNLARS mess isn't a serious statement. It's a PR statement aimed at avoiding a PR crisis. Taking responsibility requires quickly fixing the problem. Taking responsibility requires helping the people on the front lines who've dealt with this DFL-created disaster since its rollout. Gov. Dayton hasn't done anything like that. Instead, he's insisting that the legislature provide the 'other' $33,000,000 in funding to fix MNLARS. Of course, there's no guarantee that the additional $33,000,000 is needed or that it will fix the problem.
That doesn't matter to the DFL or Gov. Dayton.
UPDATE: Perhaps I spoke too soon:
NEW: #mnleg is planning to try overriding Dayton's veto of bill reimbursing deputy registrars for MNLARS woes, Rep. Baker says.
It will be only the second veto override attempt of Dayton's tenure (unsuccessful attempt in 2012 on fireworks bill)
- Kyle Potter (@kpottermn) May 20, 2018
Let's see if the DFL will stand up to Gov. Dayton. Let's see if they'll hand him a well-deserved defeat on his way out the door.
UPDATE II: I totally agree with Sen. Newman's statement on Gov. Dayton's veto of what's being called the Deputy Registrars' bill:
Governor Dayton's lack of empathy for the deputy registrars predicament is incredibly disappointing. His veto is an insult to the hardworking deputy registrars - many of whom are the sole provider of vehicle titles, license plates, and tabs for rural Minnesotans.
Small businesses are suffering, and in many cases, in grave danger of shutting down altogether, because of the incompetence of the governor's own state agencies. His veto sends a message to these men and women that their work is not appreciated.
"I am not willing to exacerbate the suffering of these deputy registrars. The Senate is considering all options for moving forward, including the possibility of a veto override."
The bill initially passed with veto-proof majorities in both houses. This time, it's for real. Let's see if the DFL will hand Gov. Dayton a well-deserved stinging defeat before achieving official lame duck status.
UPDATE III: The DFL is rallying around their failed governor:
DFL Sen. Jeff Hayden: "We're not going to override the governor" on the deputy registrar bill #mnleg
- Briana Bierschbach (@bbierschbach) May 20, 2018
Originally posted Saturday, May 19, 2018, revised 20-May 10:45 AM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 20-May-18 01:48 PM
Criminal Jeff Hayden says they are gutless and won't override the spineless Governor is what the tweet is really saying.
Rosenstein vs. Grassley
For weeks, Rod Rosenstein has refused to turn over a document now known as the 'Scope Memo' to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes. The explanation has been that the DOJ thought that turning it over to Nunes would be the same as turning it over to the White House.
That fight is behind the DOJ and Rosenstein. Technically, they won. They won't have to turn it over to Chairman Nunes. Officially, Rosenstein and the DOJ lost because Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley has demanded to see the memo . In his letter, Chairman Grassley wrote "This Committee likewise should be permitted to review the true nature and scope of the special counsel's investigation. Like the Judiciary, Congress is a separate branch of government with its own constitutional duties that often require access to Executive Branch information. In this case, the interests relate to both legislative and oversight responsibilities."
There's no denying the memo from Grassley from a political standpoint. Rosenstein could win a fight with Chairman Nunes because the media had unjustifiably criticized him. That option doesn't exist with Chairman Grassley because he's one of the most decent, well-respected men in DC.
Grassley also appears interested in the timing of the Rosenstein memo. "The August Memorandum states that it addresses the special counsel's authorization as of the date he was appointed. Why was this memorandum not drafted until August 2017?" Grassley asked.
Grassley has been a supporter of the Mueller investigation, the committee chairman noted. He has publicly warned President Trump against taking steps to shut down the investigation or fire Mueller. "As I have said numerous times, that investigation should be free to follow the facts wherever they lead without any improper outside interference. However, that does not mean that it is immune from oversight or that information about the scope of its authority under existing Department regulations should be withheld from Congress," Grassley said.
Mueller would face a difficult fight vs. Sen. Grassley if Sen. Grassley pushed him on exceeding his authority. While some want to think this is a law enforcement matter, it's a political battle, too. In a fight against Sen. Grassley, Rosenstein will lose if it comes to that.
Posted Sunday, May 20, 2018 7:42 PM
No comments.
