RELEASE: Chad Christensen Announces Campaign for Idaho State Representative

February 17, 2025

Press Contact
Bjorn Handeen
(208) 640-4503
[email protected]

Idaho Falls, Idaho — Chad Christensen today announced he is running for Idaho State Representative in District 35A, launching his campaign with a central pledge to protect taxpayers and restore integrity to public assistance programs by rebuilding a dedicated welfare recipient fraud unit with real independence and real capacity.

“Idahoans have watched what’s been happening in Minnesota, and they should treat it as a warning,” Christensen said. “Fraud in public programs is not a victimless crime. It steals from taxpayers, it erodes trust, and it ultimately makes it harder to sustain help for families who truly qualify.”

Christensen emphasized that Idaho already has important tools aimed at provider side abuse. The Idaho Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit focuses on Medicaid provider fraud, along with abuse and neglect cases in facilities that receive Medicaid funding. Christensen’s campaign is focused on a different gap, fraud committed by recipients, the kind of fraud that diverts benefits meant for eligible Idahoans.

“I know this problem personally because I lived it,” Christensen said. “I worked as a welfare fraud investigator for four years. When enforcement is weak, fraud spreads. When investigators are supported, fraud is deterred and honest families are protected.”

Health and Welfare got rid of the recipient fraud unit altogether after they made it hard for the investigators to do their job. His old co-workers came to Christensen for help when he was a legislator because Health and Welfare was making it harder and harder for them. He then spoke to Director Dave Jeppesen, who said he would fix it. “He lied to my face, and before I knew it, he got rid of the fraud unit.” Christensen added

Christensen previously served in the Idaho Legislature and said he drafted legislation to restructure recipient fraud enforcement after hearing directly from investigators who felt their work was being blocked inside the Department of Health and Welfare. Those proposals never received a hearing. He argues that Idaho needs a structure that cannot be quietly slowed, diluted, or dismantled.

Christensen’s Public Assistance Integrity Plan

If elected, Christensen will pursue a policy centered package to rebuild and strengthen enforcement, while protecting due process and legitimate recipients.

Key priorities include:

• Rebuild a dedicated welfare recipient fraud unit outside the Department of Health and Welfare
Christensen supports moving recipient fraud enforcement out of the agency that administers benefits, and placing it in the Idaho Attorney General’s office, with clear authority and a direct pathway to prosecution when evidence supports charges.

• Double the investigative capacity statewide
“When I worked cases, we had only nine investigators statewide,” Christensen said. “Nine cannot dent the problem. Idaho needs at least twice that, and the support structure to match.”

• Add modern analytics and lawful verification tools
Christensen supports using data matching, strong evidence standards, and auditable processes that protect privacy and due process, while helping investigators focus on major and organized fraud schemes.

• Create measurable public accountability
Christensen will push for an annual report to the Legislature with clear metrics, including cases opened, referrals for prosecution, dollars recovered, dollars prevented, and average time to resolution.

Christensen also noted that Idahoans can already report suspected welfare fraud through existing channels, including a statewide hotline. He said reporting is an important first step, but it is not a strategy by itself.“A hotline is not an enforcement unit,” Christensen said. “Tips do not matter if there is not an empowered team to investigate them, build cases, and follow through. Idaho deserves a Legislature that takes stewardship seriously, and that means building a system that works.”

About Chad Christensen

Chad Christensen is a former welfare fraud investigator and former member of the Idaho Legislature. He is running for State Representative to restore accountability, strengthen public trust, and protect taxpayer funded programs so they serve the Idahoans who truly qualify.