Minnesota lawmakers warn of political influence in new Inspector General’s Office
Minnesota lawmakers are raising bipartisan concerns as the Walz administration begins hiring staff for the Office of Inspector General before selecting an inspector general.
House Republicans say the move undermines the office, which was established earlier this year to oversee state agencies and investigate potential fraud, waste, and abuse.
“Governor Walz continues to undermine the process of rooting out fraud in Minnesota, this time attempting to stock the independent Office of the Inspector General with Walz Administration loyalists who won’t take fraud seriously,” said state Reps. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, and Tom Sexton, R-Waseca, in a joint statement. “This overreach is a deliberate attempt to paper over his legacy of fraud. With the process for appointing the Inspector General still unfinished, this is a calculated attempt to circumvent the independence of the office.”
Both representatives serve on the Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission, which will help to select the inspector general.
Concern is coming from both sides of the aisle.
“The Office of Inspector General was passed by the legislature to operate independent, free from political influence,” said state Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud. “The hiring process must respect that independence and preserve the authority of the Inspector to build the office as intended under the law.”
Putnam also serves on the Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission. He said hiring for the office, which is expected to cost approximately $10 million annually to operate, should begin only after an inspector general is appointed.
“Decisions about the office’s leadership and structure should be left to the Inspector General once they are selected and confirmed by the Senate in 2027,” Putnam said.
Applications for the position are due Friday. Following a selection process by the commission, the governor will then select a candidate for approval by three-fifths majority vote in the state Senate.
Minnesota lawmakers were informed about the Walz administration posting “high-level job positions” by nonpartisan staff, according to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus.
“The point of the office was its independence, and this move is the opposite,” said state Sens. Michael Kreun, R-Blaine, and Mark Koran, R-North Branch. “We are appalled at such a brazen move by a lame-duck Governor who oversaw the largest fraud schemes our state has seen. We are calling on the Administration to use common sense understanding of the law that dictates the hiring process and not make any job postings until the Inspector General is hired.”
Both senators sit on the Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission.
The Office of Inspector General is intended to operate independently of state executive branch agencies and is scheduled to be fully operational by Sept. 1, 2027.
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