Accountability is key

Government fraud and corruption have persisted long enough.

In the winter issue of Thinking Minnesota, I expounded the fact that so many of our elected officials and bureaucrats lack any common sense. My column cited several examples of this lack of common sense: the Met Council’s light rail boondoggle, the lack of support for our police and public safety resulting in skyrocketing crime, and, of course, the spending of our entire $17 billion surplus on more wasteful spending programs with no monies left over for a “rainy day.” The list goes on and on. “Don’t these people have any common sense?” is a too-frequent complaint and is frustrating for the voters and taxpayers of this state. 

This lack of common sense is compounded by the total lack of accountability for our elected officials and the bureaucrats. Time and time again, leaders running our government mismanage our cities and towns without any personal repercussions. Most frustrating is these members of the political class — elected or appointed — continue with their careers without anyone holding them to account for their past actions or performance. This is in stark contrast to the private sector, where such a lack of accountability would never be tolerated and is a bitter pill for the voters and taxpayers of this state to swallow.  

The “Feeding Our Future” fraud case is a prime example. Over $250 million of taxpayer money was stolen and used for fraudulent purposes, and not a single official from the Walz administration took any responsibility. At a legislative hearing, I was stunned to hear Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Commissioner Willie Jett defiantly declare, “You’re not going to hear me place any blame.” That statement is a total abrogation of accountability. It is his job as education commissioner to ensure departmental accountability. If he believes demanding accountability of MDE officers and staff is not his responsibility, he should be asked to explain what he believes his duties are. But remember, Minnesotans have a right to demand answers — no matter how uncomfortable it is for MDE or how embarrassing they are to the Walz administration.  

This fiasco reflects the Walz administration’s total lack of accountability to Minnesota’s voters and taxpayers. It is not about “placing blame”; it’s about accountability for taxpayer resources. Remember, you have the power to demand accountability.  

Furthermore, state Legislative Auditor Judy Randall refused to answer whether she was aware of any criminal investigation, stating, “That is not something we can comment on.” This is simply untrue. She is entirely within her capacity as auditor to answer that question — which may make her uncomfortable, but Minnesotans deserve to know. In the end, this is not about her comfort; it is about answering to her employer: the people of Minnesota. The fact that no MDE employees have been terminated — much less disciplined — represents the complete disregard for government accountability and a sense of responsibility. Minnesotans must demand answers to these basic questions and demand that the MDE staff be held accountable for four years of failure to detect and address over a quarter billion dollars of fraud. The stonewalling by Walz, Jett, and Randall is unacceptable.  

If these officials need to know where they stand, American Experiment has revived its “Scandal Tracker.” The online spreadsheet started during the Dayton administration was recently brushed off to account for the growing government scandals of the current administration run by Gov. Tim Walz. It is easily accessible — and constantly updated — on our website (www.AmericanExperiment.org/minnesota-scandal-tracker-2024/).  

Additionally, when you have a former Walz administration cabinet officer now running the state’s largest newspaper, it is no wonder that the Star Tribune has no interest in writing about accountability. Sadly, our hometown newspaper has eschewed investigative journalism to become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the elite governing class and a house organ for the state’s DFL party. So much for speaking truth to power.  

Government accountability should not only be applied to program administration but also to general legislative policies. Why does Minnesota’s education cartel — made up of the teachers’ union, school boards, public school administrators, and the Department of Education — continue to receive substantial yearly increases in expenditure without any discernible improvements in educational outcomes? Each year, more of our tax dollars go to K-12 education, yet test scores for reading and math continue their downward trajectory. As measured by the 2023 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs), 50.3 percent of tested students do not meet grade-level reading standards, and 54.7 percent do not meet grade-level math standards. Over half of Minnesota students fail to meet basic proficiency levels. Minnesota used to have a reputation for educational excellence — not anymore! 

And yet, throughout this downward slide, we don’t see wholesale personnel changes at the Department of Education, on school boards, or with administrators at school district offices. No one loses his or her job, and the money keeps rolling in. The education provider workforce continues to receive yearly salary increases, and none of our elected officials are holding these folks accountable for the fallout in academic performance. 

Common sense would demand that someone — anyone — in government would shout, “Stop!” and ask, despite all the money the state spends on education, why can’t our kids read and write? Why can’t they do simple arithmetic? This would be a great story for the Star Tribune to investigate instead of being a shill for the teachers’ union.  

Truthfully, taxpayers of this state are not getting their money’s worth, whether these funds are spent on transportation, education, welfare, or housing — you name it. Fraud and corruption at all levels in Minnesota are rampant and show no signs of slowing down. I suspect that we poor taxpayers don’t know the half of it. Let’s face it: The governing class is robbing us blind. It’s high time we hold them accountable.