KSTP follows up on child care program fraud

Part 2 of reporter Jay Kolls’ series looking into fraud in the state’s child care assistance program (CCAP) aired last night on KSTP-TV’s 10 o’clock news.

Kolls interviews state Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) in person for his latest piece. Rep. Robbins was in line to become chair of a newly created Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight committee in the state House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the boycott of the chamber by Democrats has prevented any committee meetings from being held in 2025. It appears that the boycott will not end until late March, at the earliest, closing the window for any House oversight this year.

KSTP reports:

Robbins told KSTP her committee, once things are sorted out at the Capitol, will hold hearings about the findings presented in the 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS story and she advocated for a new investigation for the CCAP program.

“So, I think we need a deeper, wider investigation,” said Robbins. “Not only through your story, but through some whistleblowers that have reached out to me, it’s stunning that there are 62 open investigations currently.”

Robbins said she would like to change state law to give DHS the authority to stop CCAP payments when a day care center has a poor safety track record.

Rep. Robbins announced that, in lieu of a formal committee hearing, she hopes to convene a “working group” meeting on this topic Monday morning at the Capitol.

Kolls also mentioned last night that questions would be raised on his report Thursday morning in the state Senate.

Sure enough, this morning the Senate’s Health and Human Services committee addressed this very topic. Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) and Sen. Mark Koran (R-North Branch), among others, questioned Tikki Brown, Commissioner of the recently-created Dept. of Child Youth and Families (DCYF). This new department is a spinoff of the larger state Dept. of Human Services (DHS).

Here’s a clip of Sen. Koran from the hearing.

In her testimony, Comm. Brown explained the difficulties in cutting off money from violators, even those with dozens of outstanding violations, under current law and policy.

This morning’s Senate hearing was chaired by Sen. Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids). Sen. Utke is temporarily serving as committee co-chair, under the soon-to-expire power-sharing agreement with Democrats. That agreement may end as soon as next week, with Democrats regaining a one-seat 34-33 majority. This morning’s type of oversight hearing may not be allowed for the remainder of the 2025 session.

Undeterred by their upcoming minority status, Senate Republicans unveiled their 2025 priority list today (video here). Fighting fraud and waste is one of their top priorities as Sen. Jordan Rasmussen (R-Fergus Falls) explains at the 6:15 mark. Rasmussen answers a question on anti-fraud efforts at the 14:30 mark.

In general, I favor the sentiments of Thoreau’s “The best government is that which governs least” or Gideon Tuckers’ “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”

However, we have a rare instance where unchecked fraud is rampaging through state government and the only people interested in addressing it, and in a position to do so, are Republican members of the state legislature.

Day 17 of the Constitutional Crisis continues…