East Twin Cities

Wayne Johnson, a Minnesota legislator, used his Twitter account on October 30, 2025, to voice concerns about oversight and transparency in state government programs. Johnson’s posts centered on internal accountability measures and the upcoming implementation of a major new program in Minnesota.

In his first post at 19:09 UTC, Johnson stated: "We can do better. We must do better. We do not need to hire outside agencies to figure out how!!! #mnleg https://t.co/BWWQF3KXIr".

Later that evening at 19:29 UTC, he wrote: "The easiest way to find fraud is to let people know that they will be welcomed for coming to your office and not shown the exit door. Fear has been the rule over the past years. People knew it was there. They were afraid to come forward!! #mnleg".

In another tweet at 19:31 UTC, Johnson added: "If we can not do our own audits, we should not be implementing the largest most complex program in MN history on January 1st. There are already ways being figured out how to scam #PFML #mnleg".

Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program is scheduled for rollout on January 1st, marking one of the state's most ambitious social policy initiatives. The PFML aims to provide paid leave benefits for workers facing medical or family needs but has faced scrutiny regarding its readiness and safeguards against fraud as its launch date approaches.

Johnson’s remarks reflect ongoing debates within Minnesota’s legislature about self-governance versus reliance on external consultants or auditors for oversight functions. Concerns about potential fraud have accompanied many large-scale public benefit programs nationwide, prompting calls from lawmakers like Johnson for more robust internal controls before new systems are implemented.