Background checks botched in Walz's Minnesota cannabis director hiring, audit says

The governor's office missed some standard background check steps before its botched appointment of Erin DuPree as Minnesota's first cannabis director last fall, the state's legislative auditor concluded Thursday.

DuPree, who owned an Apple Valley retail store selling hemp-derived cannabis products, stepped down a day after Gov. Tim Walz appointed her amid reports she sold illegal products and had federal tax liens and judgments against her. State Legislative Auditor Judy Randall's preliminary assessment of the matter outlined missteps, recommended improvements that the governor's office said it has since made, and declared the case closed.

Randall's main takeaway was a missed review from the state Department of Revenue that could have uncovered the liens and judgments against DuPree.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-legislative-auditor-releases-report-on-governors-botched-cannabis-director-hiring/600338503/