(WA) State's fraud investigators need refuge from politics

Evergreen Freedom Foundation ^ | 12-8-04 | Jason Mercier

[truth49]

On the basis of strict confidentiality, frustrated fraud investigators from various state agencies have contacted the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) to voice their dismay that politics often override and interfere with their ability to effectively investigate fraud committed against the state and taxpayers. Local law enforcement officials have also expressed concern that agency fraud investigations may be tainted by political pressure, resulting in less than full cooperation by state agencies.

At a September 20, 2004, Senate hearing on the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Mattawa daycare scandal, Grant County law enforcement officials testified that one way to avoid the lack of cooperation they received from agencies like DSHS is to separate oversight of agency fraud investigations from the agency's policy officials. This would eliminate any real or perceived conflict of interest and free state fraud investigators to do their job without fear of political repercussion. Grant County prosecutors are currently running up against the statute of limitations to prosecute those believed to have committed daycare fraud in Mattawa; they believe this is primarily due to the lack of timely cooperation from DSHS.

In 1999, Rep. Marc Boldt offered a similar proposal, HB 1126: Creating the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the State Auditor's Office (SAO). Based on the concerns expressed by Grant County law enforcement and those agency fraud investigators who have contacted EFF, a revision of HB 1126 creating an OIG in SAO is worthy of consideration.

[MBombardier]

Ping

[JosefK]

I happened to read that you guys at EFF also wanted a public records advocate stashed in the SAO, right?