00:00The chair recognizes Ms. Luna. Thank you, Chairman Comer. Honorable Robbins, based on your record before your committee, when did Governor Walz first become aware of widespread fraud in Minnesota social service programs?
00:12I would assume that he has been aware of it since he ran for office for governor in 2018.
00:18By 2017, DHS investigators warned CCAP fraud could exceed 50%. Was that information elevated to the governor's office?
00:26Yes, there was an OLA report.
00:29Thank you, ma'am. By 2020, state officials knew feeding our future invoices were fraudulent. We know that payments continue to the AG's knowledge. Did they continue to the governor's knowledge as well?
00:39Yes.
00:40Attorney General Ellison agreed on tape to fight Minnesota's own Department of Human and Health Services in exchange for Somali political and financial support. In your personal opinion, do you believe it is a possibility that Governor Walz also made that personal deal or that he at least knew about the Attorney General's agreement?
00:57I don't know.
00:58I don't know.
00:58Okay. I don't want to rehash what you guys have spent hours answering. We know that there's a big issue with the fraud in Minnesota. So on a number of things, I'd first like to point out, thank you for being here today.
01:10But because of your testimony and because of some of the evidence that we've seen brought forward, as well as I'm sure the fact that this committee, I assume, at Chairman Comer's direction will be soon subpoenaing AG Ellison.
01:22I would like to make criminal referrals regarding Governor Walz as well as AG Ellison. As you know, U.S. Code 371 and U.S. Code 2, which deals with criminalized conspiracies to defraud the United States and establishes liability for individuals who knowingly aid or abet the commission of federal offense, includes willingful blindness or deliberate inaction where duties to act exist.
01:45So I will be referring them later on today.
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