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Demuth repeats criticism of Walz, Klobuchar, calls for firings over fraud response
Demuth said two agency leaders should be fired and accused state officials of failing to stop fraud after a new Star Tribune report.
On Monday, Sept. 14, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth called for the firing of Assistant Education Commissioner Daron Korte and Children, Youth, and Families Deputy Commissioner Leah Montgomery, citing a new Star Tribune report on state fraud response.
The Star Tribune report combines interviews with administration staff and documents from a 205-page congressional investigation detailing how officials handled fraud scandals from 2018 to 2025, during which Demuth criticized the Walz administration for failing to terminate any staff.
During the news conference, Demuth labeled Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar's leadership style "toxic," referencing 2019 reports, while running mate Ryan Wilson added that such management creates a "chilling effect" for whistleblowers.
In a statement Monday, Klobuchar promised to launch a "top-to-bottom audit" of state government and fire officials who failed to stop fraud on "Day One," pledging to replace them with effective leadership.
Teddy Tschann, a spokesperson for Gov. Tim Walz, stated Monday that the state has already "installed" new leadership at the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education, noting that "hindsight is 20/20" regarding past fraud handling.