>> Eric: THIS WEEK LAWMAKERS IN BOTH D.C.

AND ST.

PAUL DEBATED FRAUD AND IMMIGRATION IN MINNESOTA, THE ESCALATING CASUALTIES IN THE WAR IN IRAN NOW INCLUDE A MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER AND KRISTI NOEM HAS BEEN FIRED FROM HER ROLE LEADING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

SO A LOT OF NEWS, LET'S GET TO IT.

DEMOCRATS UP TONIGHT EMBER REICHGOTT JUNGE, FORMER STATE SENATOR, ALYSEN NESSE, LOBBYIST AT THE CAPITOL.

REPUBLICANS WITH THEM TONIGHT, ANNETTE MEEKS, FORMER CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATE WHO NOW HEADS UP THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA.

FINALLY PREYA SAMSUNDAR, G.O.P.

STRATEGIST AND FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE RNC AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

PREYA, GOVERNOR WALZ IS VOWING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR KRISTI NOEM.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT FORM THAT COULD TAKE, OR?

>> I MEAN, SHE'S ALREADY GONE I MEAN I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY YOU COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IN THIS SITUATION.

AND IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT, I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY OR THE PERSON THAT REALLY SET THIS INTO MOTION S SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY DOWN FROM LOUISIANA WITH A BIG OLD QUESTION OF ARE YOU ACCUSING THE PRESIDENT OF AGREEING WITH YOU THAT YOU COULD SPEND $220 MILLION ON ADVERTISEMENT WHERE YOUR FACE IS THE ONLY THING PEOPLE SEE?

THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T LIKE THAT VERY MUCH, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW A VERY QUICK MOVEMENT WITH HER BEING GONE BY MIDDAY THE NEXT DAY.

>> Eric: ALYSEN, CAN THERE BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE STATE LEVEL?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO HOLD THOSE THAT ERE IN CHARGE OF OPERATION METRO SURGE ACCOUNTABLE AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY'RE LOOKING AT WAYS POST-ELECTION WHERE THAT MIGHT BE FEASIBLE.

>> Cathy: HENNEPIN COUNTY ATTORNEY, SENATOR REICHGOTT JUNGE, IS LOOKING AT MAYBE PURSUING CHARGES AGAINST FORMER HEAD OF I.C.E.

OPERATION IN MINNESOTA GREG BOVINO.

AS AN ATTORNEY, THOUGH, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A HARD HILL TO CLIMB, RIGHT OR IS IT?

>> YES, IT IS A HARD HILL TO CLIMB BECAUSE THEY CAN ALWAYS TRY TO THERE HAVE TO THE FEDERAL COURTS AND HER JURISDICTION IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED THERE.

BUT I'M GOING TO JUST TWIST THAT BACK TO THE CONGRESS, AND IF THERE WAS ANYWHERE THEY SHOULD BE DOING AN INVESTIGATION ON OVERSIGHT IT WOULD BE IN THE I.C.E.

KILLINGS HERE, WHICH THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO.

AND SO I'M THINKING THAT THAT'S THE FEDERAL ASPECT OF THIS.

>> Eric: TOM EMMER IN HIS POST-COMMENTS AFTER THE ELLISON AND WALZ TESTIFIED BEFORE THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THOUGHT THAT ELLISON SHOULD GO TO JAIL.

>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT SOMEBODY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WAS WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE IN MINNESOTA WHILE THEY RAIDED OUR TAXPAYER MONEY, SPENT IT FOOLISHLY ON ON-PROFITS THAT NO ONE APPARENTLY WAS KEEPING AN EYE ON IN THE WALZ ADMINISTRATION AND THEN TO SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM, LET'S FOCUS ON THIS IN WASHINGTON, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO DIVERT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION FROM THE REAL FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ROBBED IN MINNESOTA AND WE DESERVE SOME ACCOUNTING AND FRANKLY SOMEBODY DESERVES TO BE FIRED HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS BUT GOVERNOR WALZ DOESN'T SEEM TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

>> TO BE CLEAR, THOUGH, ATTORNEY GENERAL ELLISON HAS PUT OVER 60 PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR THE FRAUD THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED AND THE MONEY THEY HAVE STOLEN FROM THE TAXPAYERS OF MINNESOTA.

>> ACTUALLY, THAT WOULD BE THE U.S.

ATTORNEY HAS PUT 60 PEOPLE IN JAIL.

>> WELL, IN COORDINATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, BUT I MEAN, ALSO JUST -- YEAH.

>> I MEAN, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY LIKE WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT ELLISON HAS SAID UP UNTIL THE POINT WHERE HE IS GETTING PULLED IN FRONT OF CONGRESS TO TESTIFY, HE'S SAYING THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL STUNT, THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS MATTER.

HE IS BLOWING THIS OFF AND THIS IS NOT JUST INSIDE LIKE CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS HIM TELLING NATIONAL AUDIENCES ON CNN THAT THIS DOES NOT MATTER AND RANKLY THIS IS HOW DEMOCRATS WERE TREATING FRAUD THE ENTIRE TIME UP UNTIL, ONE, DONALD TRUMP PUT A TARGET ON THEM RIGHTFULLY OR WRONGFULLY SO, PUT A TARGET ON MINNESOTA AND SAID YOU'VE GOT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FRAUD, WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS, AND, TWO, WHEN NATIONAL MEDIA STARTED COMING IN AND STARTED DOING INVESTIGATING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, RIGHTFULLY OR WRONGFULLY AGAIN WE HAD A PRESS CORPS THAT HAS BEEN DEFERENTIAL TO THE WALZ ADMINISTRATION >> Cathy: OH, I THINK 2026 ACTUALLY -- THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF REPORTERS ON THIS STORY FOR YEARS.

>> ON THE FRAUD, ON THE FRAUD, ABSOLUTELY.

BUT NOBODY HAS PUSHED WALZ TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND SO HE'S KIND OF EEN ABLE TO BRUSH IT OFF BUT NOW THAT MORE PRESSURE HAS COME IN, NOW THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS, NOW THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKE PUSHING ON THEM TO GIVE ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THE MOVE INTENT WE'VE SEEN IN JUST THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

>> I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE NOT EVER HAD AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS WE HAVE TWO MAJOR ISSUES IN A SHORT SESSION.

ONE IS RECOVERY FROM THE METRO SURGE OPERATIONS AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE REPAIR THOSE ECONOMIC COSTS AND ALL THAT.

AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE FRAUD.

SO ONE IS A TALKING POINT FOR ONE PARTY AND ONE FOR THE OTHER.

BUT EVERYBODY IN THE STATE IS LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS IN BOTH, EVERYBODY'S AFFECTED.

SO I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE, NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO DID WHAT THERE, WE NEED RESOLUTIONS, E NEED SOLUTIONS GOING FORWARD.

>> Cathy: THEN WHY IS THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, THAT BILL IS SEEMINGLY HAS SUCH A HARD ROCKY ROAD?

I MEAN, IT'S GONE NOWHERE AT THIS POINT.

>> IT MAKES NO SENSE.

IT REALLY DOESN'T.

THAT SHOULD BE AN EASY, BIPARTISAN VOTE THAT SHOULD HAVE PASSED THE FIRST DAY F SESSION.

AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE OPPOSITION, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE REPORTS THAT KEEP COMING OUT SAYING WE KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING AS FAR BACK AT 2019 AND NO ONE DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

WHEN THE REPORT CAME OUT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR THAT SAID WE KNEW PEOPLE WERE FALSIFYING REPORTS AND BACK-DATING THEM, NO ONE GOT FIRED OVER THAT?

THAT'S THE STUFF I THINK THAT REALLY CONCERNS PEOPLE AND WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT INDEPENDENT OFFICE AND YET NO ACTION.

>> Eric: ALYSEN, BUILDING ON THE SENATOR'S COMMENTS, THE SHAPING OF A DEAL, TARGETS, PRIORITIES, IS THAT COMING INTO FOCUS?

I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN THREE WEEKS.

>> I AS JUST GOING TO SAY WE JUST FINISHED WEEK THREE.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE COMING UP, THERE'S ABOUT THREE MORE WEEKS UNTIL LEGISLATIVE DEADLINES.

THERE ARE SERIOUS BEHIND THE SCENES NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON AROUND AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE FLOOR, WHAT HAPPENS IN PUBLIC IS OFTEN NOT THE REAL PROPOSAL, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING PUBLICLY BUT A LOT OF WORK IS BEING DONE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND THE G.O.P.

AND D.F.L.

>> AND I AGREE WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.

I AGREE THAT THAT'S A PASS.

AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR THE COSTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SO PROPERTY TAXES DON'T RISE.

THERE SHOULD BE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED TERRIBLY, AND FUNDING FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT IN ONE PACKAGE AND ACTUALLY SUCCEED IN HELPING MINNESOTANS.

>> Cathy: WHAT DO YOU THINK, WOULD REPUBLICANS WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO, SAY, MINNEAPOLIS TO DEFRAY COSTS?

I MEAN, WOULD THAT FLY?

>> I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH THAT WE NEED TO REALLY PEEL BACK HERE.

AGAIN, WITH THE FRAUD I MEAN, WE'VE LOST $9 BILLION, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE, YOU KNOW, MONEY IS GOING, WHERE IT'S COMING, WE'RE STILL SEEING, YOU KNOW, CORRECT ME, I MIGHT BE INCORRECT HERE, BUT THERE IS LIKE A HOUSING LIKE MONEY THAT THEY'RE ADVERTISING, BUT THERE IS POTENTIAL FRAUD IN THAT AS WELL.

THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GOING AROUND IN TERMS OF ACTUAL FUNDING.

I THINK IT'S JUST HARD TO TALK ABOUT ALLOCATING FUNDS WHEN RIGHT NOW REPUBLICANS ARE SO FOCUSED ON FIGURING OUT WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, IS IT ACTUALLY GOING TO LEGITIMATE SOURCES, AND HOW DO WE BRING BACK SOME OF THIS MONEY BACK TO THE TAXPAYER.

>> I'LL ADDRESS THE MINNEAPOLIS FUNDING.

NOT ONE DIME SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THEM.

I'M SORRY.

THESE BUSINESSES MADE A DECISION TO CLOSE FOR THE PROTESTS AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING DOWN THERE AND NOT ONE DIME OF TAXPAYER MONEY, OBODY FROM CLOQUET SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A SMALL BUSINESSMAN WHO MADE A DECISION TO CLOSE THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THE PROTESTS THAT WERE GOING AND THEY SHOULD HOLD THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN MINNEAPOLIS ACCOUNTABLE WHO WERE POURING GASOLINE ON A FIRE METAPHORICALLY, BUT THEY WERE.

THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO DO ANYTHING TO STOP THE RIOTING IN THE CITY AGAIN AND SO WHEN PEOPLE WERE AFRAID TO COME DOWNTOWN THERE'S A REASON AND YOU'RE GOING TO, BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO SUFFER AND THERE HAVE TO BE CONSEQUENCES, THESE ARE THE VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES.

>> THE IMPACT IS NOT JUST MINNEAPOLIS, I HAPPEN TO LIVE THERE.

THE IMPACT IS STATEWIDE.

IT IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.

THE COSTS ARE EVERYWHERE, AND THEY HAVE LESS ABILITY TO PAY FOR THE COSTS.

I ALSO WANT TO JUST CHALLENGE YOUR NUMBER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE FOR $9 BILLION OF FRAUD, THAT WAS THROWN OUT BY AN ASSISTANT U.S.

ATTORNEY WHO HAD NOT THE RIGHT TO THROW THAT OUT AT THAT TIME.

BUT I THINK IT'S AROUND 300 MILLION.

DOESN'T MATTER, MY POINT IS, THE POINT IS WE NEED TO PREVENT FRAUD, WE NEED TO TRY TO RECOVER FROM THE DOLLARS THAT WERE PUT OUT AND PROSECUTE.

>> AND GO FORWARD WITHOUT DOING -- >> YES, AND PUT A STRUCTURE IN PLACE.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU.

>> BUT THE REALITY IS IS LIKE -- >> 30 SECONDS.

>> THE U.S.

ATTORNEY DIDN'T JUST THROW THAT NUMBER OUT THERE.

LIKE BASED ON THEIR INVESTIGATIONS AND BY THE WAY THEY HAVE DONE MORE TO INVESTIGATE THE FRAUD THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE STATE FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS AND WE'RE HEARING THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE REPORTS SAYING THAT THEY KNEW THAT THESE SYSTEMS ERE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRAUD THE PAST 50 YEARS.

THE REALITY IS IS HE HAS EVERY RIGHT BECAUSE HE'S THE EXPERT ON FRAUD AT THIS POINT.

>> Eric: GOTTA GO.