SAINT PAUL, MN – Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, Vice-Chair of the House State Government Finance Committee, issued the following statement regarding the decision by the Minnesota Court of Appeals finding the bipartisan 2015 law that allows counties to use a private firm to perform audits does not violate the Minnesota Constitution. This is the second time the courts have upheld the law.
Mere hours after the court finding, Auditor Rebecca Otto stated she will appeal the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
"To date, Auditor Otto has used $250,000 of taxpayer dollars to fund her various lawsuits, and I am deeply concerned what additional costs Minnesotans will incur to pay for her personal vendetta,” said Nash.
“The auditor continues to scoff at impartial legal rulings, wasting taxpayer dollars to fund her frivolous, politically motivated lawsuit,” said Nash. “It’s disappointing to see the auditor continue down this road after another ruling in favor of the bipartisan law we passed in 2015. I expect the Minnesota Supreme Court to come to a similar ruling as the lower courts, and urge Auditor Otto to accept these decisions before any more taxpayer dollars are thrown away."
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