Fact Check: Lisa Demuth attack ad vs. Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Fact-checking Demuth’s fraud claims against Klobuchar
A new TV ad from Lisa Demuth’s campaign for governor claims Sen. Amy Klobuchar has no plans to stop fraud in Minnesota, but Klobuchar’s campaign page and May 3 statements outline an extensive audit strategy. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has more. The Demuth campaign responded after our initial story aired and said, "When Klobuchar publishes a webpage on her website, and that's essentially the first time in years she has mentioned the topic, that may provide some important insight as to why any individual would be skeptical that Amy Klobuchar will stop the fraud."
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Campaign ads are filling TV commercial breaks, and FOX 9 took a closer look at one from the governor's race.
Demuth ad claim about Klobuchar & fraud in Minnesota
What the commercial says:
"Amy Klobuchar is a 20-year D.C. politician that has no plans to stop the fraud in Minnesota," said Steve Halicki in a 2015 FOX 9 story used in the ad.
That line ignores what is on Klobuchar's campaign page, which includes a lengthy plan to root out fraud, and Sen. Klobuchar’s opening campaign salvo.
What Klobuchar said May 3:
"On Day 1, I will begin a top to bottom audit of our state government. That audit will look at state agencies to identify waste, fraud, and abuse," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, gubernatorial candidate, on May 3.
That is the main question in the fact check: Whether the ad fairly describes Klobuchar's position on fraud.
Narrator’s background in past FOX 9 reporting
What the ad leaves out:
The ad says Steve Halicki spent 15 years as a welfare fraud investigator for Hennepin County, but it leaves out the rest of his background with the county.
The ad's narration comes from the former Hennepin County Human Services investigator who was cited in FOX 9 stories, including one from 2015 that the ad uses.
What FOX 9 reported in 2015:
"Halicki was fired in 2013 while in the midst of a big investigation. The county claims he was an insubordinate bully whose tactics were hampering efforts to catch welfare cheats," said a 2015 FOX 9 story.
An arbitrator upheld the county's decision to let Halicki go. Klobuchar and Halicki did not work in the same office, and they overlapped as Hennepin County employees for about a year.
How the 2003 article and campaign response fit in
How the old headline was used:
"Amy Klobuchar started at the county attorney's office. The situation deteriorated," said Halicki in a 2015 FOX 9 story.
The ad also cites a Tribune article from 2003 and ties Klobuchar to the headline "FRAUD FINDS FORTUNE IN DAY CARE." The article is about Klobuchar, who was Hennepin County attorney at the time, prosecuting a fraudster. The charges led to a conviction and prison time.
FOX 9 shared the details of the fact check with the Demuth campaign and asked for responses to the issues it raised.
What they're saying:
The Demuth campaign responded after our initial story aired and said, "When Klobuchar publishes a webpage on her website, and that's essentially the first time in years she has mentioned the topic, that may provide some important insight as to why any individual would be skeptical that Amy Klobuchar will stop the fraud."
The Klobuchar campaign said, "Lisa Demuth is resorting to lying because she knows that the truth isn’t on her side."
The Source: This story uses reporting from FOX 9's Corin Hoggard, Klobuchar campaign material, a May 3 news conference, and past FOX 9 reporting.