Mass firings vow sparks clash with Klobuchar over Walz fraud legacy
Republican Lisa Demuth pledged to dismiss all Minnesota state commissioners on her first day as governor, making the state’s fraud scandals a focal point of a debate with Democratic candidate Amy Klobuchar. Their exchange put oversight of state programmes and the extent of change voters want after Governor Tim Walz at the centre of the race.
Klobuchar called Demuth’s proposal “absurd” and said she had contacted US Attorney Andy Luger after the fraud emerged, helping secure more prosecutors from the Justice Department. She said Walz should have detected the fraud sooner, while Demuth challenged her to explain how she would differ from the outgoing governor. Voters are due to choose Walz’s successor on 3 November.
- Demuth vowed to fire every state commissioner on her first day.
- Klobuchar defended her response and criticised Walz’s handling of fraud.
- The debate centred on oversight and change in Minnesota.