Random News and Notes 6 January
We start in scandal ridden Minnesota today where more than 2000 DHS agents have been deployed. Those agents are mostly doing spot checks that target fraud in Minnesota’s child care assistance programs. Federal audits flagged poor attendance tracking across over 1,150 providers, potentially involving $231 million, amid a history of scandals like the 2022 Feeding Our Future case with over $250 million allegedly stolen. The 30-day operation is concentrating on financial crimes and immigration issues, while the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services froze $185 million in state funding.
In a related story, a Hilton hotels franchisee is defying the company and refusing accommodations for federal agents. A Hampton Inn franchise in Lakeville continued canceling reservations for DHS and ICE agents despite apologies from Hilton and owner Everpeak Hospitality. The agents were in town for a major fraud probe targeting scams in the local Somali community, known as ‘Little Mogadishu’.
When this story first broke, Hilton corporate and Everpeak, the franchisee both issued statements saying this was not the policy of either company and the decision was being reversed. I believed Hilton, I did not believe the franchisee. Nick Sortor caught them lying about it:
. . . in their statement yesterday which said they were “in touch” with DHS to accommodate impacted agents, and “do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies.”
NONE of that was true. There was NO attempt to reach DHS agents to make it right, per Asst. DHS Sec.@TriciaOhio
Even the FRONT DESK manager said he had spoken with the owner shortly before I walked in around 10:50pm, and confirmed the ANTI-DHS POLICY REMAINED IN EFFECT.
REVOKE THEIR LICENSE, HILTON, OR IT’S GOING TO COST YOU DEARLY. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.
This is an INCREDIBLY dumb battle to choose!
Hilton has since revoked their franchise.
Staying in Scandal-town, the DOJ has announced they are starting a criminal investigation into Tim Walz. The investigation will look into whether or not Tampon Tim is involved in or in any other way responsible the fraud in that state’s welfare and health services.
Timmy announced he was not running for another term as Governor yesterday. The DOJ has indicted 98 individuals for their involvement in fraud schemes in Minnesota so far.
There is some sad news to pass along. Seven-term Republican congressman Doug LaMalfa, who represented California’s 1st Congressional District, died suddenly yesterday. LaMalfa championed agriculture, water rights, forestry, and rural issues as chair of the Congressional Western Caucus.
Resquiecat in Pace.
It is day 10 of the unrest in Iran. Unlike past ‘uprisings’, protestors have started to take over government buildings and banks.
Those actions are a big step up from previous unrest in the theocratic country. The regime isn’t sitting on its arse either, they killed at least 35 in Tehran in the past 24 hours.
