California’s New Senate Leader Gets Pressed On Oversight As Fraud Scrutiny Intensifies

Newly appointed Democratic California Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón said she expects to bring a new oversight shakeup to the state amid growing calls for investigations into wasteful and fraudulent spending of taxpayer dollars.

Pressure to examine California’s potential fraud and government waste intensified after independent journalist Nick Shirley released a video investigating Somali-run day care centers in Minnesota. During a press interview Monday, KCRA3 Political Director Ashley Zavala asked Limón whether, under her new leadership, lawmakers would ensure Californians’ tax dollars are being used effectively.

“I’m going to tie this question back to the last question also about how do we build on what’s been done. I remember Pro Tem Emeritus Atkins and Pro Tem Emeritus McGuire have both really talked also about our ability as a legislature to do more oversight. I will say that Speaker Rivas has also been saying this, and I think that this is part of it,” Limón said. More oversight on our part ensures that we’re doing what we need to do to be able to ensure  that the public feels that we are good stewards of their money, our money. We all pay taxes.”

“I think that that’s going to be important, and I think that when the public tells us and signals to us that this is something they care about, that they have questions about something, it is our responsibility. I don’t see that as a bad thing,” Limón added. “It’s our responsibility to say what are we going to put in place to make sure that the existing checks and balances that we have work, And if they don’t work, let’s figure out how to course correct and make sure that they work so that the people who entrust us to do this job feel like we are doing that good job, and we are transparent in that way. It’s hard. This is a big state.”