Labor watchdog questions Minnesota's $210M in workforce funds

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe federal government is putting Minnesota on blast again, this time over two hundred ten million dollars meant for laid-off workers.

2. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe Labor Department's watchdog says the state's employment agency repeatedly ignored requests for information, and last month it recommended the agency be flagged for noncompliance, according to the New York Post.

3. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorRepeatedly ignored. Two hundred ten million dollars, and the paperwork request got the silent treatment.

4. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNow, the money is allegedly misspent, and nobody has proven that, so let's stay positive. Maybe it's all in a really good drawer.

5. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA drawer. Chip, that's the kind of drawer that has a second drawer inside it, and a third one nobody's allowed to open.

6. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAnd you can fit a lot of folders in a drawer like that. That's more storage than most people's entire filing system.

7. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThink about the laid-off worker waiting on help. They've been told patience, while the agency can't be patient enough to reply to an email.

8. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorFair point. The watchdog's whole ask is where the money went, which is a pretty reasonable thing to ask about two hundred ten million dollars.

9. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorTwo hundred ten million?

10. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorEvery single dollar of it. And look, the agency may well have a perfectly good explanation. It just hasn't shared it with anyone yet.

11. 

    Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorSo the only thing Minnesota has turned over is its out-of-office message.

12. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorTo be fair, Dale, they did respond once. I'm told it was very prompt.

13. 

    Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorPrompt with what?

14. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNothing. But it arrived right on time.