SWLRT audit prompts more Met Council criticism from Minnesota lawmakers
Minnesota state auditors on Monday released the results of their investigation into construction of the Metropoilitan Council's oft-delayed and over budget Southwest Light Rail Transit project.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor's report found "instances of noncompliance and weaknesses in internal controls" in cost discrepancies, work with certain subcontractors, contaminated soils and security.
The audit focused on "construction activities and the work performed by the civil construction contractor, Lunda/C.S. McCrossan Joint Venture," the OLA said.
The 14.5-mile extension of the Metro Green Line from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie is the most expensive public works project in state history at $2.8 billion. Construction began in 2018 and has been delayed numerous times. The Metropolitan Council expects it to be up and running sometime in 2027.
At a hearing Monday morning with the Legislative Audit Commission, the Metropolitan Council responded to the findings.
"Most importantly, as I mentioned before, there were no overpayments and we have protected, we believe, taxpayers' interests in delivering this project," Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle said. "Southwest Light Rail, or we refer to as the Green Line Extension, is a generational investment in a transformative network of transit throughout this metro area."
Lawmakers on both sides excoriated the Met Council during the hearing.
"There is a big problem in the Met Council, the way they conduct business, spending other people's money," Republican state Sen. Calvin Bahr said. "People work hard for their money, and all three of your problems go so over budget, it's like you don't care."
"We will continue to get these results because that's the way the system is designed. It's up to the public to rise up if they want better outcomes from this regional body," DFL state Sen. Scott Dibble said.
The auditors' full findings and recommendations can be found
on the OLA website
.
Two years ago,
an OLA report
found the Met Council wasn't fully transparent about the project's cost overruns and delays and began construction without securing the necessary funds for completion.
The council's alleged mismanagement of the SWLRT project has led to
calls to reform
the unelected body.
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Miami Herald
28 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Florida Democrats look to stop the bleeding during annual political conference
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Because they overperformed, Santiago said, it's a sign that grassroots fundraising is the right path for the party. Weil raised around $15 million, with the majority of it coming from donations that were $200 or less. Weil, who launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate last week, said the last couple of years have been tough. As a public school teacher and single father navigating the rising costs of living, he said Floridians are unsatisfied. 'People are really disappointed in what they have right now, particularly in our red districts here in Florida,' Weil said. But becoming competitive again in Florida will be a challenge. Florida Democrats have increasingly lost ground in a state that was once considered purple. Over the past six years, Republicans have won by wider and wider margins in elections for both state and national office. The 2018 midterms were the last to deliver something resembling success for the Florida Democrats. 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Indianapolis Star
39 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
I'm here to challenge you and hopefully earn your trust
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Out AOC Over Iran: 'Pathetic Little Hypocrite'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has called out Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, for her criticism of President Donald Trump's attack on Iran. Greene wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Ocasio-Cortez, who had said Saturday's attack was "absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment," was a "pathetic little hypocrite." Newsweek reached out to representatives for Greene and Ocasio-Cortez via email outside of regular working hours for comment. Why It Matters The conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated dramatically over the past few days. Israel initially struck Tehran and other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was designed to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt its nuclear capabilities, which Iran has said are for peaceful purposes. Iran has since retaliated, though Israeli defense systems, bolstered by U.S. military technology, have largely intercepted incoming missile fire,. The U.S. is Israel's closest ally and provides billions of dollars in military aid annually. Trump announced military action on Iran on Truth Social on Saturday evening and said that the U.S. has attacked sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, speaks at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2025. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, speaks at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2025. OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images What To Know There has been a mixed response to the attacks on both sides of the political spectrum. Democrats have either criticized the president for pulling the U.S. into another conflict or praised him for the military move. Republicans and MAGA have also been split in their response, with a recent YouGov poll showing that only 23 percent of Republicans say the U.S. should be involved in the conflict, putting politicians like Greene in a tough spot. Ocasio-Cortez branded the decision to attack Iran "disastrous," and said it was "a grave violation," of both the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. Greene wrote in response that Ocasio-Cortez was a "hypocrite." "YOU fully supported our military and IC running the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine," she wrote, adding "You don't get to play anti-war and moral outrage anymore." The U.S. provided support to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden. Americans have long been divided down partisan lines over aid to Ukraine. A Pew Research Center poll in February 2025 found that Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say that the U.S. was giving Ukraine too much support, by 47 to 14 percent. And support for U.S. involvement in Iran is also fractured, with MAGA specifically being divided on the issue. Greene has long been a vocal supporter of Trump and a MAGA enthusiast, but has positioned herself away from the president on this issue and spoken out against U.S. involvement in the conflict. On Saturday, Greene wrote on X "Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war," adding, "This is not our fight. Peace is the answer," in a post viewed over 10 million times as of reporting. Earlier in the week, she had written on X "Americans want cheap gas, groceries, bills and housing" and not a foreign war. A recent YouGov poll found that among all respondents, only 16 percent supported U.S. involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel, with 60 percent opposed. What People Are Saying Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene previously told Newsweek: "It's no surprise that a majority of Republicans oppose U.S. intervention in Israel's war with Iran…In November, voters cast their ballots to end the forever wars. I'm not surprised one bit. Americans want our government focused on solving our problems here at home, and we have many to solve." President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social: "Congratulations to our great American warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, wrote on X: "As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world." Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, said in a statement shared on X: "President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution. The American people do not want another forever war." What's Next Iran's leadership under Supreme Leader Ali Ayatollah Khamenei will decide whether to retaliate for the U.S. strikes or whether to continue with negotiations. Reactions of global powers Russia and China, which are close to Iran, will also be critical.
