1 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: Our three on Twin Cities News Talk. 2 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: Hey, I'm eleven thirty and one oh three five FM. 3 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 3: So I'm Somali. I'm proud to be Somali. To me, 4 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 3: being Somali isn't just eating bananas with rice. 5 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: I had no, uh no bananas and rice over the weekend. 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: So I say that for the record, Minnesota DHS employee 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 2: on welfare fraud. This is real. New City Journal article 8 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: will run through gear in just a moment. I do 9 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 2: want to get to a few of your thoughts and 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: address those from the iHeartRadio App. Your talkbacks on the 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio app are brought to you by Lindahl Realty. So 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: apparently Trump, while he's going to go and defend federal assets, 13 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: federal law enforcement agents, federal buildings, blue states that have 14 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 2: allowed these protests to continue, like Minnesota, we'll not get 15 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: help from the federal government. 16 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: I disagree. Let me explain a little bit further, but 17 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: let's go to the iHeartRadio app. 18 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 4: On this, I understand that you're upset that Trump isn't 19 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 4: going to lift a finger to help Minneapolis with these crazies. 20 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 4: But the crazies have taken over and the state and 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 4: local authorities continue to assist them. This is their mess, 22 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 4: They've created it, and until people stand up and say no, 23 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 4: it's going to continue. 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: I agree, I agree with you. 25 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 2: I just don't want to see it get worse. And 26 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: it's going to get worse. And the only way to 27 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: put a stop to it is, yes, bringing the hammer 28 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 2: down via lawful authority and keeping this from happening, or 29 00:01:54,400 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: somebody else is going to get killed. To your point, 30 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: if average citizens begin to push back on this, yeah, 31 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 2: you're gonna take this current version of the Civil War 32 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: and it's going to go to a completely different place. 33 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 2: I understand where Trump is coming from, and I understand 34 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 2: the argument that you made, but I'm. 35 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:17,839 Speaker 1: Very much of the opinion while. 36 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 2: For the most part, it's not going to have an 37 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: impact what's happening right now, Like if you turned off 38 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 2: all the media out let's turned off this show, don't 39 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 2: But if you did, you may not even be aware 40 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 2: of what's happening unless you're going, you know, downtown or 41 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 2: into the areas where most of this protesting is taking place. 42 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: And isn't it funny because Ice has actually started operations 43 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: outside of the metro area. They've gone out into the 44 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: suburbs and we haven't had any problems. Fascinating how that happens, 45 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 2: but I want a precedent set that people shouldn't be 46 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 2: allowed to get away with this criminal behavior and activity, 47 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: and trum taking the stance keeps that from happening. Let's 48 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: go to a few more of your thoughts here, specifically 49 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: with regard to these street blockades that the insurrectionists have 50 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: been setting up. 51 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 5: Hey, John, I don't know if you saw this or not, 52 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 5: but there is video online of two Minneapolis police officers 53 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 5: that pull up to one of these blockades or checkpoints. 54 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 5: They engage the people behind them. The people at the 55 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 5: blockade are laughing at them and mocking them, and after 56 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 5: a while the Minneapolis Police Department or officers turn around 57 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 5: and walk away and they let that blockade stand. 58 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 2: That's just sad. It's just sad, and it shouldn't be happening. 59 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: There's a piece in the Minneapolis Times today MPD staffing 60 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: crisis takes a toll slowed nine to one to one 61 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: response and plunging clearance rates. The article writer says, I 62 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: don't believe there has been a candid public discussion of 63 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 2: the full consequences of a greatly depleted Minneapolis Police Department 64 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 2: compliments worn and civilian. There are a number of consequential 65 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 2: results that are only gradually recognized, usually when people start 66 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 2: to complain. For my starting context, the author says a 67 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 2: recap a bit prior to the murder of George Floyd 68 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: in May of twenty twenty, day right, MPD sworn staffing 69 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: stood at about eight hundred and seventy seven. Twenty twenty 70 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 2: was the census year Minneapolis had reached four hundred and 71 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: thirty thousand residents. That put the ratio of officers to 72 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 2: residents at two point zero four officers per one thousand citizens. 73 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: That was slightly behind the national average for middle sized 74 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: major cities that average two point two to two point 75 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 2: two point one to two point two per one thousand residents. Today, 76 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: the MPD average is beneath. 77 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: One point four. 78 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 2: The article writer says, the deputy I was the deputy 79 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: chief of Services during the declaration of Minneapolis as murder 80 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 2: Apolis by the New York Times in ninety six. Among 81 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: other responsibilities, I was the chief staffing agent for MPD. 82 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: In one year, we hired one hundred and ten so 83 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 2: called Clinton cops in four cohorts we needed them. We 84 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: had just short of one hundred murders that year that 85 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 2: pushed us to nine hundred and fifty two. 86 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: Sworn over the budget, but permitted by. 87 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: The city council as long as the annual average was 88 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: within budget. With resources, good strategy, and community support, we 89 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: began a sustained twenty year reduction in crime. And then 90 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 2: we get about four paragraphs of the history of what 91 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: happened during the death of George Floyd, wherein the article 92 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 2: writers says MPD bottomed out in the five hundred and 93 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: fifty range. Recently they've climbed back up to six hundred. 94 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: Woo for context, the Saint Paul Police Department has the 95 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: staff of five hundred and seventy five. Minneapolis has one 96 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 2: hundred and thirty thousand more residents one hundred thousand more 97 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: nine to one one calls annually. The writer says, I 98 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: love our neighbors to the east, but I would argue 99 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 2: that additionally, Minneapolis has a larger influx of daily workers 100 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: and visitors to the university, professional sports facilities, parks, concert 101 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 2: theater venues. Six hundred officers is not nearly enough. The 102 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: unmet requirement for the charter is seven hundred and seventy 103 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 2: and it's not enough. While some categories of violent crime 104 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 2: have declined through the focus and prioritized work of MPD, 105 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 2: the influx and behaviors of agents of the Immigrations and 106 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 2: Customs Enforcement has added, as Chief O'Hara has expressed an 107 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: unsustainable addition old demand for police service. You know, the 108 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 2: problem here, though, is that with the increase of ICE's presence, 109 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 2: we know, and this has been documented in several media outlets, that. 110 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: Crime has dropped. 111 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,679 Speaker 2: You do have a couple of areas where it's continued 112 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 2: to remain somewhat relatively high, but it has dropped even 113 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 2: more so than we typically have seen during the cold 114 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 2: winter months. So, you know, Minneapolis Police Department actually had 115 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 2: an opportunity to capitalize on the presence of ICE to 116 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: gain a foothold on crime as a whole. And yet 117 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 2: the opportunity is completely wasted. And even when they go 118 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 2: out and apparently, according to that talkback, come upon one 119 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 2: of these blockades, they're not doing anything about them. 120 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: It's unbelievable in my professional opinion. 121 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 2: The article writer says, ICE activities with regard to law 122 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 2: enforcement in the First Amendment protest are beyond unprofessional. I 123 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: see them as totally undisciplined, unsupervised, and pointless unless the 124 00:07:54,640 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 2: point is cruelty and domination. My gosh, I want to 125 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: see the interviews with these individuals and just having them 126 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: explain what is your problem with arresting people that are 127 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 2: here in the country illegally, that have committed other horrible crimes. 128 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: We're all held accountable for our actions. Families are separated 129 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 2: all the time in this country, and again it just 130 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: comes back to Trump. I mean, it's almost eye rolling 131 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: at this point to go and say it, but that's 132 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: really what it is. We had a fantastic conversation about 133 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 2: this on Friday Show with the Freedom Friday guests. When 134 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 2: you go back and track the number of individuals who 135 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: used to be able to sit across the table from 136 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: you to have a discussion even though you disagree on 137 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 2: a lot of the various issues that remained civil, it 138 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: just can anymore. They spent over a decade vilifying and 139 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 2: demonizing Trump and anybody who supports them, to the point 140 00:08:55,120 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: now where you have you know, actors and actresses, politician, 141 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 2: but specifically actors and actresses prominent voices within pop culture 142 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: saying that when Democrats go and take over. Trump's supporters 143 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 2: need to be punished, sent to concentration camps, re education camps. 144 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 2: It's just sad to see an individual who has the experience, relevant, 145 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 2: valuable information, and yet in the middle of providing that 146 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 2: relevant and valuable information, they're Trump arrangement syndrome Benson fully 147 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: on display. They go on to write relating to Minneapolis 148 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 2: police and the number of cops. This adds that unsustainable 149 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 2: dimension to the workload of MPD. 150 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: I disagree, as I mentioned a moment ago. 151 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 2: I think this was a golden opportunity with the presence 152 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 2: of ICE on the street telling the normal, for lack 153 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 2: of a better way to describe it, the normal criminal element, 154 00:09:54,760 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 2: the carjackers, the vandals, the thieves. Prior to Operation Metro 155 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 2: Surge that have been to dominate the headlines, those individuals 156 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 2: have been staying away in the midst of all this 157 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: law enforcement presence. You had a golden opportunity to capitalize 158 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: that and quell the unrest outside of what ICE is doing, 159 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 2: and they just simply haven't been allowed to do that. 160 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,559 Speaker 2: The point the article writer says is that the consequences 161 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: of the current MPD staffing level and this was all 162 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: this was all there before Ice even started their work, 163 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 2: by the way nine one one response times investigative clearance rates. 164 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 2: They just simply can't go through the crime that's being reported, 165 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 2: the budget and overtime, and the well being of officers, 166 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: and the viability of MPD. Some officers, they go and 167 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 2: say have earned very large amounts of salary and overtime. 168 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 2: The vast majority of them of this was involuntary. Officers 169 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: have long been required to give back and be compensated 170 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 2: with overtime for one regular for one regular off day 171 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 2: each month. A combination of very inadequate staffing and critical 172 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: events has stretched MPDE officers to the breaking point. Chief 173 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 2: O'Hara has repeatedly characterized this situation as unsustainable. And yet 174 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: I find this rather interesting considering that the police chief 175 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 2: keeps law enforcement from actually going out and doing their work. 176 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 2: They're not allowed to go and assist ice when you 177 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 2: have protests taking place, and you have individuals expressing their 178 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 2: free speech just because they're on the right, whether you 179 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 2: agree with that or not, and the police is asked 180 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 2: to stand down. They're not getting involved in any of this. 181 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 2: They haven't done anything to go and quell the unrest 182 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 2: that's been taking place because they've been told not to 183 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 2: go and assist ice. So and with the drop in 184 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: crime that has been documented. 185 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: While I don't, you know, push back. 186 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 2: On the nine to one one response times and clearance 187 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 2: rates of investigations and budget and over time and the 188 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: well being on the officers, I'm sure all that's true, 189 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 2: But at the same time, I do have to kind 190 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 2: of question, well, what are. 191 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: They doing in the midst of all of this. 192 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: Maybe they're out there assisting in the investigations relating to fraud. 193 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: We'll get to that next. 194 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: I'll give you some details on what this whistleblower had 195 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 2: to say on DHS and that department being incompetent to 196 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 2: end negligent. Plus we'll get to your comments from the 197 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio app here on Twin Cities News Talk Am eleven 198 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 2: thirty and one oh three five FM. 199 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 6: Good morning and I Love your show. 200 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 2: You can email Justice at iHeartRadio dot com. Find us 201 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:52,559 Speaker 2: on the social networking apps at TC news Talk and 202 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 2: John Justice on x D John Justice on Instagram and TikTok. 203 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 2: In a recent to interview with City Journal, a whistleblower 204 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 2: with the Department of Human Services painted a picture of 205 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 2: a toxic workplace culture at DHS that allowed Minnesota's fraud 206 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 2: scandal to metastasize. Faye Bernstein, there's been a DHS employee 207 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 2: for two decades, including stints, is working in contract management 208 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 2: as a compliance officer as well. I'm going to run 209 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: through some of the interview that Bernstein gave with City Journal. 210 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 2: Now the interview was edited, and I've edited a bit here, 211 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: obviously for length, but just to present. 212 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 1: For you the highlight. So when did your concerns about 213 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: fraud begin? 214 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 2: In twenty eighteen and twenty nineteen, I just got into 215 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,719 Speaker 2: promotion to a lead position. That meant that I saw 216 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: everybody's contracts from our work area, behavioral health administer tration. 217 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 2: They all funneled through me. Over the years, I had 218 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 2: often thought that DHS is sloppy, but in eighteen and nineteen, 219 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 2: that's when I saw this was beyond normal. If we 220 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 2: don't have fraud today, we're gonna have fraud soon. I 221 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: thought this again, going back to twenty eighteen twenty nineteen. 222 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 2: Speaking of examples, she says, I could give a contact, 223 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 2: I could give a contracted to my sister for a 224 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 2: million dollars because she has a different last name, pay 225 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 2: out that contract and nobody would notice. We did not 226 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 2: monitor conflicts of interest. It would have been easy to 227 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 2: give a contract to a family member or to a 228 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 2: non existent person. That's when I realized this sloppiness is 229 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 2: way beyond normal. 230 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: We really are at risks for fraud. 231 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: The reason I can confidently say that I could give 232 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 2: a contract of this sort to my sister was because 233 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 2: I'd come across a contract that YES had given to 234 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: a former employee who had left the department within the 235 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 2: past year. I immediately recognized her name. So when I 236 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: went to the person who initiated that contract and said, 237 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 2: what's the deal with this, I want to make sure 238 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 2: everything's okay, that we don't have a conflict. The person 239 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 2: immediately went to our deputy director, who then came to 240 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 2: me and said, why are you asking these questions? And 241 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 2: I said, well, gosh, this is just a perfectly normal question. 242 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: No, it's not. You're upsetting people. 243 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: You've just made a lot of enemies by asking these questions. 244 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: Keep in mind, I just for a moment. I have 245 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 2: to go through this every single year. It feels like 246 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: more than once a year, But I know, it's once 247 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 2: a year we have to go through our you know, 248 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 2: different employee training for various things. You know, we're given 249 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: all of these various scenarios that we are quized about 250 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 2: when we go through this human resource training. I read 251 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 2: stories like this, I read interviews like this, I see 252 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 2: comments from people working inside the government, and you just go, 253 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: this could never happen in a normal workplace that has accountability. 254 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: It would never fly because. 255 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 2: The moment that you had a superior going to an 256 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: individual potentially calling out fraud and that person's saying, why 257 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 2: are you doing this? You're upsetting people. You should be 258 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 2: able to go to the next person above them to 259 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 2: be like, can we talk about this? Because my boss 260 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: just said they didn't care and I was making a 261 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 2: big deal. And within that private company it would be 262 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: of concern and should be handled, not if you're working 263 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 2: for the government. It made no sense to me. She says. 264 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 2: We were constantly getting into risky territory and if you 265 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 2: spoke about it, it was very clear what would happen. 266 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 2: Even our human resources people would tell us, if your 267 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 2: supervisor tells you to do something, you must do it, 268 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: and when you didn't, the word insubordination. They considered it 269 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 2: insubordinate if you resisted an unlawful direction. Where we are 270 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 2: today is completely predictable from where we were in twenty nineteen. 271 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 2: There was no other way for this to go. The 272 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 2: handwriting was on the wall until only about a year ago. 273 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: Our whistleblower policy required us to report internally that did 274 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 2: not comply with the law. For example, I reported something 275 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 2: to the director of our internal audits and he immediately 276 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 2: went to the person that I had reported. I know 277 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 2: he did that because it was on email. He responded 278 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 2: back to me, see seing the person I was reporting. 279 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 2: He totally outed me. A lot of people in DHS 280 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: or state employees, but there are periods of time when 281 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 2: those employees are paid by a federal grant. In those periods, 282 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 2: we had to fill out two time sheets. Our regular 283 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 2: timesheet to get paid by the State of Minnesota, and 284 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: a second time sheet, which was how much of our 285 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 2: salary was paid by the federal government under a particular grant. 286 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 2: After I started speaking out too much, DHS removed all 287 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:16,679 Speaker 2: my job duties associated with this federal grant, but I 288 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 2: was instructed to fill out that timesheet so the federal 289 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 2: government would continue to pay my salary. I'll give you 290 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: more details on this coming up in just a moment. 291 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 2: We'll get to your comments as well from the iHeart 292 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 2: Radio app and your talk back of the day, brought 293 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 2: to you by Mini Leaf, is up next here on 294 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 2: Twin Cities News Talk Am eleven thirty and one three 295 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 2: five FM. The talk back of the Day from iHeart 296 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 2: Radio coming up in just a moment here. It's brought 297 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 2: to you by Mini Leaf. Working through this whistleblower interview 298 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 2: that took place in the City Journal last week, fay Bernstein, 299 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 2: DHS employee for two decades stints working in contract management 300 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 2: as a compliance officer, breaks down the welfare fraud, saying 301 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: this is real, speaking out about the departments in competence 302 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 2: and negligence. 303 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: She was discussing these two. 304 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 2: Timesheets, a regular time sheet to get paid by the 305 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 2: State of Minnesota, a second time sheet timesheet which was 306 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 2: how the salary was paid by the federal government under 307 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 2: a particular grant. When she started speaking out and asking 308 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 2: too many questions, DHS removed her job duties associated with 309 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,640 Speaker 2: the federal grant, but was still instructing her to fill 310 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 2: out the same timesheet so the federal government would continue 311 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 2: to pay the salary. When asked who instructed you to 312 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 2: do that, she said, the director of the Behavioral Health Division. 313 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,959 Speaker 2: At about the same time, our internal audits did a 314 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: big review of everybody who was in my situation and 315 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 2: had used these federal time sheets. It turns out many 316 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: people were filling out the federal time sheet who had 317 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 2: no federal duties. Some people didn't even know why they 318 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 2: were filling out the time sheets every other week. They 319 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 2: were told to do it. It clearly was a way 320 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: to save money on salaries. To what extent did you 321 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 2: feel retaliated against? In response, she says, it was pretty quick. 322 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 2: I had fewer and fewer job duties. In the summer 323 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 2: of twenty nineteen, I had very little to occupy my 324 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 2: time because all my duties had been reassigned. They did 325 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 2: not want me to see anything. Then in twenty twenty, 326 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 2: I was told to take a call on a Saturday 327 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 2: morning from HR. I was told when I went back 328 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 2: to work that I would have a new job. I said, 329 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 2: do I have a choice? Nope, I didn't have a 330 00:20:55,359 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 2: choice either this job or I quit. That began my 331 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 2: being shuffled from one job to another making sure that 332 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 2: I was never anywhere near compliance issues. I was really 333 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 2: trying to be a problem solver, and they have completely 334 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 2: kept me away from the one thing that I'm actually 335 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 2: really good at. So you were a compliance officer, they 336 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: asked a City Journal, you were just trying to do 337 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 2: your job, and that was seen as unacceptable. 338 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: She says. 339 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: I had supervisors tell me that I was doing my 340 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 2: job poorly because I was too focused on compliance. 341 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: It was so strange. 342 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 2: You were highly discouraged from doing actual compliance. Nothing has 343 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 2: improved since twenty twenty. Things seem to have gotten worse. 344 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: City Journal says the US Attorney's Office said that we're 345 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 2: potentially looking at billions in fraud across fourteen state welfare programs. 346 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 2: Do you feel vindicated by this development? I do feel vindicated, 347 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 2: she writes. I was aware that our contracting process were 348 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 2: leaving us completely open to fraud, but to realize the 349 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 2: lack of guardrails was pretty shocking. Do you worry about 350 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 2: speaking out now given your ongoing employment at DHS. Definitely, 351 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 2: But I ended up going the loud and proud route, 352 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 2: thinking that there might be some protection associated with being public. 353 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 2: At the same time, I don't begrudge people that are 354 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 2: not willing to do that. One question many people have 355 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,719 Speaker 2: is was this incompetence or were there people involved who 356 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 2: were complicit. About ninety percent of me, she says, says 357 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 2: it's incompetence because I've seen incompetence by leadership where I 358 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 2: walk out of the office and I think, wow, you 359 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 2: got this job because you were somebody's friend. It's so apparent. 360 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: So about ninety percent of me says it's incompetence. But 361 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 2: then there's a small part of me and it's actually 362 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 2: getting bigger. That wonders more each day. Did somebody personally 363 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 2: benefit by that? I mean, did somebody benefit by getting 364 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 2: votes or by getting a bribe? I keep wondering how 365 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 2: there could be that much incompetence. And then, of course, 366 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 2: at what point does incompetence become well, you're responsible anyway. 367 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 2: And then she wraps on this, she says, it's become 368 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 2: a partisan thing. Just for the record, I have only 369 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 2: voted for Democrats, she writes, I consider myself a Democrat. 370 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 2: This is definitely not something that Republicans are making up. 371 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,199 Speaker 2: This is real And as a matter of fact, let 372 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 2: me play you this audio. This is another credible whistleblower 373 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 2: confirming about speaking up about the fraud, talking about what 374 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 2: happened when she was told that she was under investigation. 375 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,199 Speaker 2: This may actually be the same person, but this is 376 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 2: from Fox News last week. 377 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 7: When I naively started speaking about it, the reaction from 378 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 7: leadership within the Department of Human Services was very quick 379 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 7: and very swift. I was purp walked out a very 380 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 7: embarrassingly long hallway and my badge taken away and told 381 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 7: I was under investigation and actually banned from returning to 382 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 7: the building. And it it that's the kind of thing 383 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 7: that sends such a chill to everyone who saw me 384 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 7: walk down that very long hallway being escorted out. Anyone 385 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 7: who sees that would never want to speak up again. 386 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 1: We watched The Big Short over the weekend. 387 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 2: We own the Blu Ray and Logan hadn't seen it before, 388 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 2: and Molly and I both loved that movie. 389 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 1: I hadn't watched it since. 390 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 2: And this is going back to the to the early 391 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:50,479 Speaker 2: aughts wherein we had the the mortgage swaps being sold 392 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 2: because of the CBOs that were being created. If you've 393 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 2: seen the seen the movie, the level of fraud and 394 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 2: corruption that took place and the individuals who saw the 395 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 2: housing bubble happening before anybody else did. It did not 396 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: boost my confidence at all relating to the fraud here 397 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 2: in Minnesota. When you see something like what is documented 398 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 2: in dramatized in a movie like The Big Short, when 399 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 2: you watch that and you see what took place factually 400 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 2: on the nationwide level, and then you think about what's 401 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 2: taking place here in Minnesota. We had a conversation after 402 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,959 Speaker 2: the movie was over about how, yeah, this is not 403 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 2: boost my confidence as it relates to the fraud that's 404 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 2: been exposed and what we're more than likely going to 405 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:39,119 Speaker 2: find out in the coming months. Fox News did a 406 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 2: report on the money leaving MSP. 407 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: This was on Friday last week. Speaking of fraud now to. 408 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,159 Speaker 8: A Saturday in America investigation. Our team has been talking 409 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 8: to DHS officials all week and we have learned that 410 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 8: seven hundred million dollars in cash was flown out of 411 00:25:56,280 --> 00:26:00,160 Speaker 8: Minneapolis by Somali couriers in the past two years. It's 412 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 8: roughly three hundred and fifty million dollars a year for 413 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 8: twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five. Now, to put 414 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 8: that into perspective, that number is ten to one compared 415 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 8: to bigger airports like JFK and DFW, and we are 416 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 8: told that they were about three to four million a year. 417 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 8: Quite a difference. But it's not just Minnesota. It's also 418 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 8: happening in Columbus, Ohio, where officials tell us that since 419 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 8: twenty twenty three, one hundred and thirty six million dollars 420 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 8: and bulk cash was flown from Columbus to Somalia. And 421 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 8: now we're learning more about how the money got from 422 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 8: Columbus to Somalia. First bull cash and luggage flies out 423 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 8: of John Glenn Columbus International Airport, then luggage lands in 424 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 8: either Minneapolis or Atlanta before it is sent overseas. Meanwhile, 425 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 8: these DHS sources told Saturday in America that Seattle is 426 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 8: also seeing bulk cash transfers, although we learned it is 427 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 8: significantly less than Minnesota and then Ohio. Now we should 428 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 8: note that those are the states with the largest Somali 429 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 8: populations in the country, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington. And the 430 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 8: acting tss TSA administrator spoke on Capitol Hill explaining how 431 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 8: they uncovered all of this. 432 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 9: TSA did indeed report these incidents as it came across 433 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 9: the checkpoint because bolt cash shows up as a mass 434 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 9: on the on the X ray and so our officers 435 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 9: have to resolve what they can't identify on the X 436 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 9: ray machine, and through the course of their normal day 437 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 9: to day duties, they reported that to our law enforcement 438 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 9: partner partners in compliance with their standard operating procedures. I 439 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 9: know there's a an ongoing investigation with our law enforcement partners. 440 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: We are part of that. 441 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 2: And Democrats here in Minnesota will just remain completely silent 442 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: on the issue. They won't bat any they'll look the 443 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 2: other way. They simply don't care. If they cannot gain 444 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 2: any political capital from it, they're just going to simply 445 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 2: go and ignore it. 446 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 10: All this Minnesota state government supervision and management that participated 447 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 10: in these retaliations should be included as accessories to the 448 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 10: billion dollar fraud. 449 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 6: Good morning, John and Devon. I pride myself on being 450 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 6: that individual who does what's right, even when it's sometimes 451 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 6: painful to be on the right side of something. 452 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: That's try Scott. 453 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 6: Anyways, what's going on at these state departments doesn't surprise me. 454 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 6: The good old boys network of getting people in positions 455 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 6: because you're a buddy with somebody, not based on merit 456 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 6: and then screwing over the federal government because you can. 457 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 1: It speaks to the lack. 458 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 6: Of ethical and moral values that we all should try 459 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 6: to adhere to. 460 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 2: Every Thank you for that. As always, Scott always appreciate 461 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: hearing from you. All right, list, turn our attention back 462 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 2: to the protests that took place over the weekend. 463 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: I still have some audio to share. 464 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 2: With you, but let's get to this via our talk 465 00:28:58,160 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 2: back of the day. It is brought to you by 466 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 2: Many Leaf, MINILEAF dot com, m I N N E 467 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 2: L e A f dot com. 468 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 10: On the anti ice protesters, they keep pulling license plates 469 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 10: trying to find these ICE agents. 470 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 2: Oh my apologies, this is not the talk back of 471 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 2: the day. Sorry, I did want to go to that, 472 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 2: but this is your talkback of the day, brought to 473 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 2: you by Mini Leaf. 474 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: You know, another aspect. 475 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 11: Of Trump's decision not to uh, not to assist in 476 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 11: in blue states, blue cities, to essentially abandon those conservatives 477 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 11: who voted for him in those states. He's gonna need 478 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 11: record turnout that the GOP is going to need record 479 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 11: turnout in the midterms. This certainly is not a step 480 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 11: in that direction. 481 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 2: Well, that is your talkback of the day, brought to 482 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 2: you by Mini Leaf, Get your ni gummies and get 483 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 2: your sleep back on track at m I N N 484 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 2: E l e a f dot com. It's hard to say, 485 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 2: because if we don't get the assistance that we need, 486 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 2: then that means that we here in Minnesota are going 487 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 2: to have to continue to apply pressure, pressure to our 488 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 2: local leadership to get something done about this insurgency that's 489 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 2: been taking place. 490 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 1: So there is an argument to be made. While I'm 491 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: not a. 492 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 2: Fan of Trump abandoning a state like ours and not 493 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 2: assisting us with these highly organized, trained, well equipped groups 494 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 2: of individuals, and then you get the idiot Yahoo's blocking streets. 495 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 2: I think you could extrapolate that this might be beneficial 496 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 2: in turning out the conservative vote, but that remains to 497 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 2: be seen. Speaking of those block streets. 498 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 11: Hi John, I too saw the story where the two 499 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 11: or the MPD officers confronted the crowd block heating the street, 500 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 11: asking them take the barrier down for the safety of 501 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 11: citizens emergency so emergency workers and everybody could get through, 502 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 11: and they just they just laughed at them, said they'll 503 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 11: move the barriers if that happens, and to go away 504 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 11: and want to even shout it out. 505 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: Jacob Fry sent us. 506 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, of course they did. I'll give some credit where 507 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: credit is due. This is not a lot of credit. 508 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 2: I'm being sarcastic, but just hear me out here. At 509 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 2: least these individuals are willing to go out and brave 510 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 2: the streets. What we saw over the weekend with these 511 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 2: Target protests or a bunch of lazy people not wanting 512 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 2: to be outside trying to get in front of a 513 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 2: relatively captive audience of individuals who are just there to 514 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 2: go and purchase products from Target. 515 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: I will give them. 516 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 2: A little bit of credit because they are able to 517 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 2: harmonize quite a bit. So why are they motivated to 518 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 2: go and do this. It's because they have bought hook 519 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 2: line and Sinker and convince themselves that what they been 520 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 2: told by the talking heads in the mainstream media, the 521 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 2: politicians that they elect is actually the reality. From MS now, 522 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 2: this is representative ilhan Omar. 523 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 12: Nobody should ever have hired Steven Miller, who basically has 524 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 12: a is a copycat of the Nazis, and that's kind 525 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 12: of the cruelty that he wants to inflict on people. 526 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 12: He should definitely be out. I believe for his part 527 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 12: in this definitely should be prosecuted at some point. 528 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 2: And they've been saying and using this type of language 529 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:46,479 Speaker 2: for over a decade now, saying that Stephen Miller is 530 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 2: utilizing Nazi tactics, and what's the old adage and if 531 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 2: you forget history, if you don't teach history, you're doomed 532 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 2: to repeat it. This is really insulting to history. It's 533 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 2: insulting to what Hitler and the Nazis actually represented and 534 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 2: the heinous crimes that they committed. All that's taking place 535 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 2: is the lawful enforcement of our laws. But you see 536 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 2: where these two end up crossing each other where if 537 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 2: you continued to call Republicans Nazis, Trump Hitler, anybody in 538 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 2: the administration is acting like a Nazi, Ice is the Guestapo, 539 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 2: then their actions therefore are attached to that labeling, and 540 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 2: the conducting of lawful law enforcement then becomes something that 541 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 2: you were just going to go in disrespect, and it 542 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,880 Speaker 2: encourages and it emboldens individuals to take all kinds of 543 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 2: different action, blocking off streets, going into targets, and protesting. 544 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 2: Multiple activist groups, including the faith based Isaiah Indivisibles Twin 545 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 2: cities Unados, Minnesota nineteen different Target stores demanding the company 546 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 2: take action against Ice and Border Patrol's presence in the state. 547 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 2: They chanted and held signs bearing messages that included Targets 548 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,760 Speaker 2: support your community, not ice abuse, abolish ICE, shut down 549 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 2: Target to kick Ice out. There were a handful of 550 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,399 Speaker 2: individuals that actually did get kicked out at one point. 551 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 2: This is audio taken from a video of one of 552 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 2: the protesters. 553 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: Doesn't quite understand Well, let me just play for the 554 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: audio and then I'll comment happening in sir. 555 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 3: We've been told, as we've been coming to targ Stars 556 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 3: trying with managers that this is open to the public. 557 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 1: So that they actually can't keep people. 558 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 3: Out of the shorts and open to the public. So 559 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:55,960 Speaker 3: we really wanted to come today and use it as 560 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 3: public space. That's what they told us it was, so 561 00:34:58,600 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 3: when we came in. 562 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 2: It's not a public space. It is a private company. 563 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 2: It is a company conducting business. People need to be 564 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 2: their too shop. It is not a public space. I mean, 565 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,759 Speaker 2: maybe if you wanted to go into the attached Starbucks 566 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 2: that is there, order yourself a cup of coffee and 567 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 2: have yourself a seat, maybe, but it's not like it's 568 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 2: a park. No, it's a private company. But they just 569 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 2: make up their own rules and she's gonna get into. Well, 570 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 2: they allow Ice in, but they won't allow us in, 571 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 2: as if ICE was going into and has been going 572 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 2: into targets and just milling about, chanting and beating on 573 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:44,720 Speaker 2: drums and singing. No, she's basing that off of the few, 574 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 2: very few altercations that ICE has had with individuals at 575 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 2: Target locations because they were either there or they worked there. 576 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 2: But those were people that had lawful warrants for arrest 577 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 2: because they were criminals. They arrested that person and they 578 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 2: took them out. But it's completely lost on these idiots 579 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 2: and tried to. 580 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 3: Sit down and hang out and use it as public 581 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 3: space as they told us. They told us that wasn't allowed. 582 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:13,720 Speaker 1: They said we have to be shopping. 583 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 2: Well, first I. 584 00:36:14,719 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 3: Told us you have to be standing, so we stood, 585 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 3: and then they told us you have to be shopping, 586 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,759 Speaker 3: and so we said, huh, it doesn't seem like Ice 587 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:33,520 Speaker 3: cuns and hearing shops. They're not shopping in Target. 588 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 1: So they're supposed to kick Ice out. 589 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 2: So if you're an ICE agent, and I mean, I'm 590 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:35,800 Speaker 2: just trying to go off of their logic. 591 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: I'm attempting my best to try to. 592 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:45,359 Speaker 2: Discern what this lunatic is actually saying. So if Ice 593 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 2: goes to shop in Target, they shouldn't be allowed to 594 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 2: shop in Target. 595 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: These individuals weren't even I don't even want to. 596 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 2: Say it out loud on the air because I don't 597 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 2: want to give him any ideas If they had enough 598 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,960 Speaker 2: functioning brain cells, they would realize that. You know, if 599 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 2: you had a big group of people there and you 600 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:07,799 Speaker 2: just had a handful of them splinter off to go 601 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 2: and shop and grab a few items, you could just 602 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 2: say you're a part of that group, and you're just 603 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 2: they're shopping with them. But in this moment, they're over, 604 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 2: you know, in home goods doing shopping, and you're deciding 605 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 2: to hang out in women's unmentionables to do your protest. 606 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 13: But it does seem like they want to take community 607 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 13: out of doing So that's what we're here to do 608 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 13: today to call out that hypocrisy that Target actually can 609 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 13: kick people out of their store. 610 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:43,399 Speaker 11: Every day. 611 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: Is Ice in their stores every day? Is that a 612 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:51,240 Speaker 1: thing that's is that a thing that's happening. 613 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 2: The visual on these is fantastic this one here. So 614 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 2: this guy's a bully. He's got his militant green jacket on. 615 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 2: For what it's worth, septum Ring Ponytail bun up the 616 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:09,640 Speaker 2: whole nine yards talking about what he wants Target to 617 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:11,520 Speaker 2: do and why they're there protesting. 618 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 14: What I hope Target work here is. You know, we 619 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,040 Speaker 14: are minesotans. We are not outside agitators. We are not 620 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:20,279 Speaker 14: being paid to be here, and we very much live here. 621 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 14: This is our home and we expect and demand you 622 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 14: to stand. 623 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 1: Up and live into your own values. 624 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 14: Right. We're a community that's faster your global success, and 625 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 14: now it's time for you to get back in the 626 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:35,479 Speaker 14: ways that we purport to. By standing up to Ice 627 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 14: and discontinuing your LOI will collaboration will be possible to group. 628 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,880 Speaker 2: It's essentially conformed to what we want you to do, 629 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,600 Speaker 2: or else we're going to continue to disrupt your operations. 630 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 2: They want Target to know that they best to fall 631 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 2: in line or they will be consistent targets for political harassment. 632 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 2: And I wonder too, you know this is like retribution 633 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:04,720 Speaker 2: for the sixty somewhat companies that signed that January twenty 634 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 2: fifth letter with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce calling for 635 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 2: an immediate de escalations of tensions and for state and 636 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 2: local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions. 637 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 2: And then that just got completely criticized, roundly criticized across 638 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:24,160 Speaker 2: the board by everybody on the left. You had Richard Carlbaum, 639 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 2: the current DFL chair, horrible at his job by the way, 640 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,279 Speaker 2: who said it was BS but he actually used the 641 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:31,360 Speaker 2: words online. 642 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 1: Here's more from Target. This one's great. 643 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:36,920 Speaker 2: So you get the singing in the beginning, and then 644 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 2: you have one of the Target employees actually has to 645 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:50,880 Speaker 2: go and address one of the protesters, so they have 646 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,840 Speaker 2: that power to abolishize. 647 00:39:53,239 --> 00:40:03,680 Speaker 1: Except possible, I can't harmonize. I'll give him that santy 648 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:07,200 Speaker 1: policy a guest solicitation, whether it be verbal or non verbal. 649 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:09,920 Speaker 11: So I am just gonna have to request that you 650 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 11: guys stop where you will have to be. 651 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:13,279 Speaker 2: So here you have the guy coming out and saying, 652 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 2: I'm gonna request you guys stop. 653 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,760 Speaker 1: Do you have anything for me to share on property? 654 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:18,719 Speaker 14: I already talking with. 655 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:21,120 Speaker 1: People outside and kind of instructed where our copy. 656 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,640 Speaker 4: Line is and nets and everything like that, But. 657 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 1: You guys have any sort of messagetation sign kind of. 658 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:30,879 Speaker 1: I received a couple of things from them out there. 659 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:31,600 Speaker 2: That's great. 660 00:40:31,719 --> 00:40:33,919 Speaker 8: Yeah, we have a letter that if you could pass 661 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:35,920 Speaker 8: it on to the CFO. 662 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:43,439 Speaker 2: Like this poor dude, probably a part timer or drew 663 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:47,839 Speaker 2: the short straw to have to go and confront these lunatics. 664 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,880 Speaker 1: Can you share this letter that we wronged with the CFO. 665 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:58,719 Speaker 1: That's bananas. I didn't even get to. 666 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:03,440 Speaker 2: The lake, but Makaska group that created an SOS message, 667 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:05,760 Speaker 2: a message made of people over the weekend. 668 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,720 Speaker 1: Like their Tom Hanks and Castaway said help. 669 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 2: If you've missed any portion of today's show, check out 670 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:13,560 Speaker 2: the podcast. 671 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:14,799 Speaker 1: Available on the iHeartRadio app. 672 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 2: Shortly, David Gartenstein Ross will be joining us tomorrow. Have 673 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 2: yourself a fantastic Monday, and we're back at it just 674 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 2: after six am. 675 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 7: Back