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PRESS RELEASE July 22, 2004 DSHS: "No doubt there is fraud throughout the state..." EPHRATA – At a meeting today at the Grant County Court House concerning the county's difficulty getting records from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in the Mattawa day care scandal, DSHS Secretary Dennis Braddock made the following striking admission: "No doubt there is fraud throughout the state, but we [DSHS] do not have the staff to do major enforcement." Regarding why DSHS had not yet provided records requested from Grant County law enforcement, DSHS staff said it was due to a "communications glitch." Area legislators called today's meeting to provide Grant County law enforcement, DSHS, and local elected officials the opportunity to clear up the ongoing controversy concerning the fraudulent payments to and licensing of some Mattawa day care providers. Joining DSHS and Grant County law enforcement at the meeting were Mattawa area officials, and Sen. Joyce Mulliken, Rep. Cary Condotta, Rep. Bill Hinkle, Rep. Janea Holmquist, and a representative from U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings' office. The Evergreen Freedom Foundation was also invited and participated. Despite Secretary Braddock's acknowledgment of fraud and multiple audit reports highlighting this fact, under questioning from the press, the staff was not able to answer whether or not licenses have been revoked or payments ceased to any of the remaining questionable day care providers in Mattawa. Secretary Braddock did offer legislators a potential solution to avoid the problem of providing service to illegal aliens by saying, "Legislators may want to pass a statute that says we [DSHS] can't contract with undocumented individuals." Braddock also hinted that additional funding for DSHS could alleviate this problem stating DSHS doesn't "have the staff resources to do high-level quality control." "Due to the commendable efforts of area elected officials and the tireless persistence of Grant County law enforcement, it appears Grant County will soon have the requested documents necessary to prosecute those who have already fraudulently received tax dollars," said Jason Mercier, EFF budget analyst. "Today's meeting should ensure that there won't be any further ‘communication glitches.'" EFF will be following up with Grant County law enforcement next month to confirm the requested records have been received from DSHS. In related news, the US General Accounting Office has acknowledged EFF's
federal fraud complaint against DSHS on this matter and stated it is currently
under review. Additional Information EFF files federal complaint against DSHS Contact: Jason Mercier | Budget Research Analyst | 360.956.3482
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1 Part Honesty; 2 Parts Arrogance At a March 23, 2005, House Appropriations hearing on a bill to gut the voter-approved I-601 spending limit, Rep. Jim McIntire (D) asked a supporter of I-601’s two-third supermajority requirement for the legislature to raise taxes the following question: "Can you name a time when we [legislators] have actually not just set it [supermajority requirement] aside by majority vote? I mean, this is in many respects a procedural motion that has no bearing. It’s a statutory constraint that cannot constrain any legislature that chooses as a majority to set it aside . . . have we ever used a supermajority [to raise taxes]?" - Rep. Jim McIntire (D - 46) Despite the arrogance of some state officials, Washington's constitution is clear: "All political power is inherent in the people..." |
