House GOP Leaders Issue Statements on OLA Report

St. Paul, MN— House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, issued the following statements in response to a performance audit released by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) examining the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) grant programs. The audit found that BHA “did not comply with most requirements tested for mental health and substance use disorder grants and did not have adequate internal controls over grant funds.”

In the report, Legislative Auditor Judy Randall further disclosed that auditors identified multiple documents that BHA backdated or created after the audit had already begun.

“Today’s shocking report by the Legislative Auditor shows a culture of pervasive fraud, negligence, and deception. We need answers immediately about the apparent backdating and potential falsification of documents found during the audit,” Demuth said. “This proves once again that those running our programs expect no repercussions or accountability from Governor Walz or the Democrats in power, even when they fabricate documents and ignore basic procedures. It’s time to clean house and restore honesty and accountability in state agencies.”

“This report confirms what House Republicans have warned for years: fraud in state government is not isolated or accidental, and it is bigger than any one person or administration,” said Niska. “It is systemic, the result of years of Democrat executives and legislators looking the other way and allowing a culture to take hold that tolerates fraud and disrespects taxpayers. Without a real course correction, Minnesota will stay on the same failed path and taxpayers will keep paying the price.”

The full report can be found here.