'A New Leader Is Necessary': Commissioner Lourey Latest To Leave In DHS Shakeup
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- There is a major shakeup at the state of Minnesota's largest agency the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
After just six months on the job, Commissioner Tony Lourey abruptly resigned Monday.
His resignation comes just days after the department's two highest ranking deputy commissioners announced they were leaving.
Any shakeup at the Department of Human Services is a big deal because of the size of this agency. It serves roughly a million Minnesotans, has an $18 billion budget and more than 6,000 employees.
Lourey's resignation comes days after the announced departures of his two top deputy commissioners Chuck Johnson and Claire Wilson. Neither Wilson nor Johnson are commenting publicly.
Lourey's resignation letter to the governor did not give a specific reason, mentioning only his belief that, "A new leader is necessary to best execute your vision." Lourey gave up a crucial Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party state senate seat to become commissioner.
"This is a dedicated servant who has self-awareness and looked at this and said this is going to take a little different leadership style to bring this agency into where you want it to be," Gov. Tim Walz said.
The resignations come in the midst of a tumultuous period at DHS with controversies over data breaches and a slow moving investigation into
Carolyn Ham, the department's inspector general. Ham was put on paid administrative leave four months ago after an audit found pervasive fraud in a state-administered daycare program. Ham has been paid $42,000 during her leave -- a fact sharply criticized by top legislative Republicans who also want to know what is behind the resignations.
"We want to know exactly what is going on at DHS," Republican House Minority Leader Rep. Kurt Daudt said. "Frankly, it's too early in the Walz administration to have a scandal of this size."
Walz quickly picked Lourey's successor as Pam Wheeler. Wheeler has a long history of leadership positions in the public and private sector, including serving as Commissioner of Finance under Gov. Jesse Ventura.
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