Wyoming Freedom Caucus uses obscure committee to launch investigations, audits

With a new group of Republicans in charge, once sleepy meetings of the Wyoming Legislature’s Management Audit Committee are no more. 

Now led by members and allies of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, the committee voted earlier this month to audit the Legislative Service Office, subpoena several local officials and investigate the Weston County clerk. 

Until recently, the Audit Committee hasn’t attracted the kind of public clamoring or media attention more common with standing committees, nor has it produced high-profile legislation. And its off-season budget and fewer meeting days have reflected that, both metrics coming in at a fraction of the more costly standing committees like Joint Appropriations or Joint Education. 

When the Audit Committee was first formed by law in 1971, it was tasked with ensuring executive branch agencies were carrying out the intent of the Legislature, according to a 2023 column by longtime political journalist Joan Barron. 

“The act was hailed at the time as a wise step toward good government,” Barron wrote, while also noting the committee’s more current “audits and evaluations were hampered badly by the turnover of staff and particularly lack of sufficient money.”

In 2024, the Freedom Caucus won control of the House and now aims to wield more power via the Audit Committee. 

“Thanks to a Wyoming Freedom Caucus majority in the House, the Management Audit committee is *finally* doing what it was meant to do: hold government accountable,” the caucus posted on X. “We’re committed to transparency, oversight, and responsible stewardship of your tax dollars. Let’s get answers.”

Background and subpoenas

With a budget of $27,500, the Audit Committee has three priorities for the legislative off-season, known as the interim. The top task includes providing a report to the administrative arm of the Legislature, known as the Management Council, related to major administrative rules. The other two priorities include an evaluation of executive branch programs, which may include repealing statutes for inactive programs, as well as receiving an update from the Wyoming Business Council. 

The committee’s July 9 meeting was the second of three scheduled for the interim. 

During the part of the meeting slated for a Department of Audit presentation, the conversation turned to the tiny towns of Bear River (population 528)  and Manderson (population 91). More specifically, Freedom Caucus lawmakers raised concerns about recent noncompliance reports

“Mind-boggling,” said Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody. “The amount of negligence. I’m just appalled by the audit [of the town of Manderson.]”

A state audit found that the town allegedly violated 16 state and federal regulations and is now being investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, according to a Basin Republican Rustler report in June. 

“If the legislative body chose to defund a town, municipality [or] a county because of severe negligence, misappropriating, misusing state funds, what is the default mechanism for that town? What happens? Does the town just go away? Who takes over?” Rodriguez-Williams asked Justin Chavez, director of the Department of Audit. 

Chavez said he didn’t know the answer to that question, but during the census process, he said, the federal government withholding funds “historically that has been enough to get them to act on things.” 

“But I don’t know what happens if all of their funding is withheld,” Chavez said. 

Ultimately, Lien brought a motion to subpoena several local officials including the mayor, clerk and treasurer of Bear River and Manderson, as well as Riverton Recreation District No. 25 and the Fremont County Clerk. 

The motion, which passed, was highly unusual for lawmakers, who have traditionally invited people to appear in front of a committee before using the power of a subpoena. 

LSO audits, Weston County investigation

The meeting’s agenda did not include consideration of auditing the Legislative Service Office — the nonpartisan central office that works quietly behind the scenes to draft bills and answer lawmaker questions, among other things. 

That was one reason Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, urged the committee to slow down. 

“I don’t know why all of a sudden we’re operating at the speed of now instead of the speed of the government, when this one might be one we can reflect on for just a couple of minutes, particularly since it wasn’t even posted in our agenda,” Rothfuss said. “No one saw this coming.”

Cheyenne Republican Sen. Darin Smith brought the motion to direct LSO to request the Department of Audit complete a performance audit of LSO. 

The LSO is required to undergo financial audits every two years — the results of which are available online. But that’s not enough, Smith said. 

“I’m certain that there’s nothing fishy going on at the LSO, but we have to sweep our own porch before we can look at everything else,” Smith said. 

While Freedom Caucus ally Rep. Jayme Lien, R-Casper, argued in favor of the motion, characterizing one branch of government auditing another as a matter of checks and balances, Rothfuss said it did not respect the separation of powers and ran outside the bounds of the Legislature. 

If entities “want an audit without grading your own homework, you hire an external auditing firm and that external auditing firm isn’t going to make things up if they’re accredited and certified,” Rothfuss said. 

But the committee passed Smith’s motion. Rothfuss and Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, were the only opposing votes. 

The committee also voted to form a subcommittee to investigate errors made by Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock in the 2024 election. Rep. Chris Knapp, R-Gillette, said the subcommittee would help guide potential legislation. 

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“It is not a witch hunt. We’re not trying to go backwards in time, but it is moving forward to see where our statutes broke down,” Knapp said. 

In May, Gov. Mark Gordon completed his own investigation and found that Hadlock did not meet the requirements for him to seek her removal from office. 

The Audit Committee’s next meeting is Oct. 21 in Cheyenne.