♪ ♪ >> Mary: OUR NEXT RETIRING LAWMAKER IS A FORMER STATEWIDE OFFICE HOLDER, A PAWLENTY ERA COMMISSIONER, AND ALL THAT BEFORE SHE JOINED THE LEGISLATURE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.

REPRESENTATIVE ANDERSON, THE QUESTION WE START WITH EVERYONE IS WHY DID YOU WANT TO RUN FOR, AND I'LL SAY THIS OFFICE.

>> THIS OFFICE, YEAH, THE LEGISLATURE.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS REDISTRICTING SO THERE WAS AN OPEN SEAT.

I'M HERE IN THE END OF MY SEETHE AND I THOUGHT I COULD DO SOME GOOD AT THE LEGISLATURE.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEW FACES UP THERE.

I HAVE A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

>> Mary: YEAH, LET'S ALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THE DEEPEST RESUMES.

YOU'VE BEEN COMMISSIONER.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE CAN SAY THAT IN THE CURRENT LEGISLATURE.

>> EAH, I WAS A MAYOR.

>> Mary: DO YOU TALK ABOUT IT MUCH?

DO YOUR FELLOW LAWMAKERS KNOW THAT?

>> I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK MOST OF THEM KNOW.

I THINK A LOT OF THE NEW FOLKS DIDN'T KNOW.

CERTAINLY THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE DIDN'T KNOW.

>> Mary: I WAS STATE AUDITOR.

LIKE, DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN IN COMMITTEE?

>> NO, IT HASN'T AT THAT POINT YET.

I AM ON THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMISSION AND MOST OF THE MEMBERS THERE AT LEAST, THE SENIOR MEMBERS KNEW THAT.

THEY PUT ME ON THAT.

I'M ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF THE AUDIT SUBCOMMITTEE.

[Overlapping conversations] >> Mary: TECHNICALLY YOU'RE A FRESHMAN.

>> YEP, I AM.

>> Mary: DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR COLLEAGUES AND YOUR CAUCUS ARE USING YOUR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN STATE GOVERNMENT?

>> NO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M IN THE COMMUNITY, MARY.

AND FRANKLY, AS WE ALL AW LAST SESSION, IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT MY SIDE OF THE AISLE THOUGHT.

I MEAN, THE AGENDA WAS THE AGENDA.

IT WAS SET MONTHS IN ADVANCE AND IT WAS JUST PUSHED THROUGH, EXCEPT FOR AGAIN THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMISSION.

I CAN ARGUE THAT IS VERY NONPARTISAN.

EVERYONE ON THAT COMMITTEE IS THERE TO DO GOOD.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S -- THAT'S THE EXCEPTION.

IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF.

I KNOW THINGS.

I HAVE IDEAS.

YOU KNOW, GOOD IDEAS.

AND JUST TO MAKE GOVERNMENT BETTER.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS ARE MOVING AHEAD WITH SESSION INTRODUCING THEIR TOP THREE BILLS.

ALL ADDRESSING FRAUD IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> I CAN TELL YOU IT'S BEEN SHOCKING FOR ME TO COME BACK AND THE LAST TWO YEARS AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

THIS DID NOT EXIST.

MINNESOTA WAS A GOOD GOVERNMENT STATE.

WHAT WE WANT IS WE WANT THIS TO BE A NONPARTISAN, NONPOLITICAL OFFICE THAT HAS AUTHORITY, AND AUTONOMY.

SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB WITHOUT THREATS FROM ANYONE OR ANY ANGLE.

IT IS A BILL THAT WE WORKED ON HARD.

BIPARTISAN.

BICAMERAL.

IT PASSED THERE.

ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY.

60- 60.

60-7.

TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, FOR THE CITIZENS SO THAT WE CAN STOP THE FRAUD AND START WORKING TO GET BACK THE PUBLIC TRUST.

BECAUSE, FOLKS, THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRUST ANYMORE IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> Mary: THE HOUSE FRAUD PREVENTION COMMITTEE HEARD SUSPICIOUS SPENDING IS ALREADY DECREASING.

>> THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

I MEAN, 62% DROP WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING -- WE HAVEN'T EVEN IMPLEMENTED REALLY FRAUD PREVENTION, OR VERY LITTLE, BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, SO WE'RE SCARING OFF THE FRAUDSTERS.

>> Mary: JOINING US NOW IN PERSON, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE FRAUD COMMITTEE, REPUBLICAN PATTI ANDERSON.

WELL, REPRESENTATIVE, WE SHOULD START WITH FRAUD, BECAUSE YOU HAD HILYER 1, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL PASS THE SENATE.

IS IT GOING TO PASS THE HOUSE?

>> WE'LL SEE.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY MADE GOOD PROGRESS.

WE -- IT GOT, YOU KNOW, HUNG UP LAST YEAR.

THE DEMOCRATS DIDN'T SUPPORT IT IN THE END EVEN THOUGH WE NEGOTIATED THIS, ALL FOUR PARTIES, OR ALL FOUR CAUCUSES.

AND -- BUT WE'VE COME BACK THIS YEAR.

WE'VE ACTUALLY MOVED, AND IT'S THE SENATE FILE THAT'S MOVING NOW AND TECHNICALLY MATT NORRIS IS ACTUALLY THE AUTHOR EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT REALLY THE AUTHOR.

>> Mary: BUT IT MIGHT HELP GET IT THROUGH THE SENATE TO HAVE THE DEMOCRAT.

BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS DO HAVE THE ONE-VOTE MARGIN IN THE SENATE.

>> SO IT'S THROUGH THE SENATE.

WE'VE GOTTEN IT THROUGH ALL THE UP TO WAY AND MEANS RIGHT NOW.

SO IT'S SITTING IN WAY AND MEANS.

>> Mary: IS IT GOING TO GET TO THE FLOOR?

>> I HOPE SO.

IT'S OUT -- THE WAY T'S SITTING RIGHT NOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME MINOR CHANGES THAT WERE MADE ACTUALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SENATE AUTHORS.

WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL OF OUR WORKING GROUPS.

AND SO WE ALL AGREE ON ALL THESE CHANGES.

AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR, YOU WILL HAVE 67 REPUBLICAN VOTES FOR SURE.

SO IT'S REALLY IN THE DEMOCRATS' BALLPARK.

>> Mary: AND IT WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRATS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT?

>> THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

>> Mary: IT STILL HAS TO THE SENATE NOW BECAUSE IT CHANGED?

>> BUT THEY CAN PROBABLY CONCUR, AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN ESSENTIALLY PRECONFERENCED.

IT COULD GO ERY FAST.

>> Mary: THE ONLY MAJOR THING THAT HAPPENS, OUR FORMER LAWMAKERS WERE KIND OF HINTING AT IT.

>> YEAH, IT'S KIND OF FRUSTRATING, WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SESSION AND WE'VE PASSED FOUR LITTLE NOTHING BILLS.

>> Mary: HOW HARD IS THE TIE?

YOU'VE BEEN AROUND POLITICS A LONG TIME.

>> WELL, IT'S BETTER FOR ME AS A REPUBLICAN THAN IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

VOTING NO ON EVERYTHING.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S MADE PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO COOPERATE.

THE ONLY THING THAT GETS EVEN TO THE FLOOR BESIDES TRYING TO DO URGENCY ARE THINGS THAT ARE BIPARTISAN.

YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO COOPERATE.

SO IT'S DIFFERENT.

BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S MADE SOME, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEE HEARINGS ARE A LITTLE EXPLOSIVE SOMETIMES BECAUSE THINGS AREN'T GETTING OUT OF COMMITTEE.

>> Mary: IT'S TESTY.

IT'S TENSE.

DO YOU EEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE STILL KIND OF MOURNING AND STRUGGLING AND IT FEELS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY I DO AND IT'S DIFFERENT FOR BOTH.

I MEAN, EVEN I'VE HAD THREATS, SERIOUS THREATS AND I'M JUST A LEGISLATOR.

I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THE SPEAKER.

I'M NOT EVEN A OMMITTEE CHAIR.

SO IT'S -- I THINK PEOPLE ARE STILL MOURNING.

MELISSA.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR OWN SAFETY, FRANKLY.

>> Mary: YOU'VE HELD A LOT OF DIFFERENT OFFICES.

I'VE BEEN ASKING EVERYBODY, WHAT WAS THEIR FAVORITE?

SO STATEWIDE AUDITOR, COMMISSIONER, LEGISLATOR?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, BEING THE MAYOR.

WHICH IS A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO.

BUT I WAS THE MAYOR IN EAGAN.

I ON HE COUNCIL FOR SEVEN YEARS.

>> Mary: WHY WAS THAT THE BEST?

>> BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT TIME IN EAGAN'S DEVELOPMENT.

WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BOOMING.

WE WERE AT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

>> Mary: AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS LESS PARTISAN ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH, IT'S MUCH LESS PARTISAN.

IT WAS A GOOD -- IT WAS GOOD.

AND WE HAD GREAT STAFF AND GREAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND IT WAS GOOD.

BUT I'VE ENJOYED EVERYTHING I'VE DONE.

>> Mary: HOW ABOUT STATEWIDE OFFICE FOR YOU?

BECAUSE YOU'RE PART OF THAT LAST WAVE WHERE REPUBLICANS WERE ABLE TO WIN STATEWIDE OFFICE.

WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW COULD YOUR PARTY GET BACK?

>> I MEAN, YEAH, THAT WAS IT, RIGHT?

WE'VE COME VERY CLOSE.

YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO, WE ALMOST WON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.

BUT IT'S THAT 1%, WE JUST DIDN'T GET OVER THE EDGE.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CANDIDATE QUALITY THIS TIME AROUND AND JUST THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S DOABLE STILL.

>> Mary: YOU DO.

DO YOU THINK MINNESOTA SHIFTED OR DO YOU THINK THE PARTY SHIFTED?

>> I THINK -- >> Mary: OR BOTH?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE BOTH I WOULD SAY.

I THINK BOTH.

I THINK RECENTLY, MINNESOTA HAS SHIFTED MORE THAN THE PARTY HAS SHIFTED.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT, I THINK THIS FALL.

YOU KNOW?

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> Mary: WHY LEAVE NOW?

>> WELL -- [ Laughter ] I -- I'LL BE HONEST.

FOR MANY REASONS.

AND I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.

I WASN'T GOING TO BE HERE SUPER LONG.

I AVE A BUSINESS I'M RUNNING TOO.

AS MY HUSBAND JUST RETIRED.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF IT.

THERE'S JUST THE TENSION, THE THREATS, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE SORT OF THING WHICH PUTS A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION IN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, IS IT WORTH IT, RIGHT?

AND I CAME BACK HERE REALLY TO DO GOOD PUBLIC POLICY WORK.

FRAUD, TAXES, THOSE SORT OF FINANCIAL THINGS WHICH IS MY BACKGROUND.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WALKED INTO A TRIFECTA ORIGINALLY, AND WHICH MEANS I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING.

AND THEN THIS TIME, IT'S BETTER, I CAN DO SOME THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW -- >> Mary: WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR