Minnesota officials under Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) retaliated against state employees who raised concerns about fraud and the state’s management of taxpayer-funded social service programs, including by hiring investigators outside of the agency to scrutinize whistleblowers and monitor workers who reported suspected abuse, a new House oversight committee majority staff report alleged.

The 205-page report released on Monday alleged that the Minnesota Department of Human Services officials retaliated against whistleblowers using the help of outside private investigators and law firms, intimidation tactics, and surveillance efforts, including one instance where a DHS manager allegedly proposed using military connections to determine the locations of employees raising concerns about fraud. The investigation marks the most comprehensive overview of leadership deterioration contributing to fears of speaking out against Minnesota’s federal funding mismanagement for more than half a decade.