By Madison McVan | Reporter
Good morning, Reformers.
Gov. Tim Walz shook up the leadership at the embattled Department of Human Services yesterday, replacing temporary commissioner Shireen Gandhi — who was supposed to have a confirmation hearing at the Capitol today — with John Connolly, who was most recently the state’s Medicaid director. Gandhi will stay with the department as a deputy commissioner.
Gandhi took over DHS in February 2025, seven months after the Reformer first reported that the FBI was investigating autism service providers in Minnesota on suspicion of Medicaid fraud — a harbinger of more investigations, raids and charges to come.
The Walz administration said in an announcement that the leadership changes will “ensure stability and continue to strengthen oversight, improve program delivery, and protect essential services for Minnesotans.”
Gandhi’s confirmation hearing has been canceled.
“Minnesotans were told Shireen Gandhi’s leadership would bring reform to DHS, yet now she is being shuffled to a different position so that Senate Democrats can avoid a confirmation hearing,” said Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, in a press release.
On the one hand, she inherited a mess, so it seems unfair to cast aspersions.
On the other hand, from her bio: “Before her appointment as deputy commissioner in 2022, Gandhi served as assistant commissioner and chief compliance officer. She led the creation of a new compliance infrastructure and oversight program to improve operations and compliance with federal laws, regulations, and rules.”
To the rest of the news:
Rayah Toles, a sophomore at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, holds a sign reading “Are guns more precious than us?” while students walk out to protest at the Minnesota State Capitol, calling for a ban on assault weapons Friday, Sept. 5, 2025 following the mass shooting at Annunciation Church. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
By Michelle Griffith
The Minnesota Senate on Monday approved a gun control package that bans the future sale of so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
The bill faces an uncertain future in the Minnesota House, where Republicans and Democrats are deadlocked, and Rep. Lisa Demuth is the Republican speaker and also a leading candidate for governor.
By Madison McVan
The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Minnesota and Attorney General Keith Ellison Monday, asking a federal judge to toss out the state’s lawsuit against petroleum companies.
Ellison’s office sued Exxon Mobil, Koch Industries, Flint Hills Resources and the American Petroleum Institute in June 2020, alleging that the companies and trade organization misled Minnesotans about the costs and causes of climate change.
By Jesse Schumann
Jesse Schumann, a senior at New York University majoring in education studies, evaluates the data on charter schools. Schumann comes to the conclusion that, in light of the political infeasibility of dismantling charter schools, Minnesota should at least mandate stricter state oversight of charter authorizers, require robust integration standards and promote the right of all educators to unionize.
IN OTHER NEWS
Immigration scams surged as Trump’s sweeps lured desperate people to eager defrauders | Reformer via ProPublica
OH BY THE WAY
Congratulations to our friends at the Star Tribune, who won a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize yesterday for their coverage of the Annunciation shooting.
I was also glad to see Aaron Parsley of Texas Monthly won the prize for a piece that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind since I read it last August: “Where the River Took Us,” Parsley’s first-person account of his family’s river home washing away during the 4th of July floods. It’s a devastating but worthwhile read.
Here’s a song for your Tuesday, inspired by the exciting, past-my-bedtime Wolves win over San Antonio last night.
That’s all from me. Have a great day!
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