Clips - Panel Nominates Legislative Auditor For New Six-Year Term

The Executive Committee of the Legislative Audit Commission nominated Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles for another 6 year term. Nobles leads an office that has conducted several high-profile audits in recent months, including the unauthorized payments to Minnesota Indian Tribes for self-administered opioid treatments; mismanagement of the state's vehicle registration and licensing system (MNLARS); and fraudulent claims in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

It was the news headlines and resulting statements by Nobles that raised the concern of Executive Committee member Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester. "I am concerned about the level of what I would sometimes call editorializing in the way the reports are done," Liebling said. "...I really believe that the usefulness of the work of the staff is diminished by value judgements that are put into the reports," she explained.

Nobles said that he could have avoided using the word "dysfunction" when describing the problems at the Department of Human Services in issuing unauthorized payments to two state Indian tribes for self-administered opioid treatments. "Those were the words of the people who work there day-in and day-out used," he said. "I think the facts spoke to dysfunction, and that's what I called it. But, I didn't have to, and it wasn't seeking a headline, it was seeking your attention," he added.

The Executive Committee forwarded to the Legislative Audit Commission the recommendation to reappoint Nobles to another six-year term. In addition, Christopher Buse was nominated for Deputy Legislative Auditor for the Financial Audit Division, and Judy Randall was nominated for Deputy Legislative Auditor for the Program Evaluation Division.