The media announced that the chief conservation officer of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Mike Hamm, resigned following an investigation of an audit which resulted in his being placed on administrative leave, after a career of 36 years. At age 55, his salary was $105,000 annually. Col. Mike Hamm was responsible for overseeing the spending of over $300,000, illegally, for a department conference and illegally soliciting donations for it. The Star Tribune states this is perhaps just the beginnings of a shake-up in the Minnesota DNR. Col. Hamm’s wife is a captain in the enforcement division of the DNR and has also been placed on administrative leave, with her future listed as “unknown.” What is happening to us?

The media states that Tom Petters, a Minneapolis businessman is tied to a $2 billion fraud. Petters is the majority stockholder in Sun Country Airline and Polaroid, among others. An affidavit submitted to obtain search warrants, stated Petters and his associates played loose and free with investors’ money for more than 10 years. The amount of funds involved could be in excess of $2 billion. The affidavit alleges a network of phony goods. Some from Wal Mart wouldn’t confirm their existence and stated that some of the transactions did not exist. One of the “associates” had a money laundering conviction in 1987 and pleaded no contest to a cocaine and weapons charge. This associate is on the boards of Northwestern College in St.Paul and the Minnesota Teen Challenge. The director of Minnesota Teen Challenge is quoted as “speechless.” I would think so. How does a convicted felon get on the board of one of our “respected” nonprofits? A California bank reported to the FBI that this group of “associates” had transferred $11.6 billion in and out of an account. Right here in Minnesota, a company whose office was in a car wash transferred $35 million in and out in one month. Three of the “associates” used fake purchase orders to obtain $20 million from a large lending establishment. Obvious sources of further information refused the media’s efforts to gain additional info.

We are told by some that “Hey, this kind of stuff goes on all the time.” I say, no! This is a $2 billion case right here in Minnesota. Before we vote on Nov. 4, we need to ask ourselves: “Who will do the best job of cleaning up the mess we are in?” We are not voting for just the man. We are voting for the factions he represents. Think about it! It looks to me like we need more government oversight and more transparency. If a bank can transfer $11.6 billion between companies without anyone asking a question, I say we need help. The limit is $10,000 an individual can negotiate without the bank reporting to the IRS. If our business leaders cannot behave themselves, the government has to have the authority to step in before disaster strikes innocent investors.

Warren Jensen

Albert Lea