Since the beginning of the pandemic, California has doled out $114 billion to 19 million unemployment recipients. Last month, California auditors reported that at least $11.4 billion in those taxpayer-funded benefits were paid to scammers.
Worse yet, some estimates are that the amount could be about three times that — $31 billion in fraudulent payments — to Golden State cheaters.
Republicans, having now returned to their more comfortable role of stewards of the taxpayers’ money, are demanding that House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. investigate this colossal fraud, which goes further back than just one month.
In fact, California’s own auditors discovered that about 10 percent of all unemployment claims paid out by the state over the last year were erroneous or fraudulent. Currently, an additional 17% of current unemployment benefit claims are under investigation.
The wry observation that Democrats can carelessly give away far more than Republicans can steal applies. California, it seems, was swamped by the $130 billion in pandemic relief they received from the feds. And that does not include the December augment. Here are a few astonishing examples:
- As late as December 2020, Californians could continue to collect benefits with no address verification system in place.
- Some addresses were for prisoners on death row, who received $421,000 in unemployment benefits.
- Organized crime groups in Russia and China got in on the act and cashed in on the free money.
In the meantime, one California bureaucrat, Julie Su, is President Biden’s nominee for deputy Labor Secretary. Ms. Su, it seems, will likely be the focus of Republican embarrassing questions during her confirmation. She was in charge of the California state agency as it hemorrhaged funds in fraudulent payments.
Following the audit, Su complained that her agency was “overwhelmed” with unemployment requests after the pandemic raged in her state. “There is no sugarcoating the reality,” she said, “California has not had sufficient security measures in place to prevent this level of fraud, and criminals took advantage of the situation.”
Su also blamed the Trump Administration for not giving federal help. What would have been helpful, she complained, “was for the federal government…to have developed a coherent and coordinated proactive approach to the fraud.”
If Su survives the Senate confirmation hearing, perhaps she can become a part of the solution. It will be interesting to hear her ideas on how the Federal Government could perform what is clearly a state responsibility.
Then there is Washington State Democrat Suzi Levine, who headed that state’s Employment Security Department. She joined the Biden Administration as the U.S. Department of Labor’s interim assistant secretary. She will be a key player in the new President’s economic recovery plan.
Levine, like Su brings some worrisome baggage to her new federal position. Washington State was hit by over $600 million by a well-organized Nigerian fraud ring. Stolen identities accounted for more than 122,000 fraudulent unemployment claims.
As the Biden Administration tries to sell another colossal round of pandemic spending, it will be hard-pressed to explain how two scandal-plagued blue state Democrats are destined for plum posts in administering all that money.
Hi There,
You Have a Person Like Gafle Biden for President on a Fraudulent Election,
Don’t Expect Him to Have the Smarts to Know What to Do. Maybe Trump
Does. He is Smart.
Tnx, Operater, Calgary Canada.
These Democrats SUCK, They should all be hung.
We should have heeded the words of Thomas Jefferson, “We need a Revolution every 20 years just to keep the government honest.”
Jefferson is a true patriot. He knew well before this current day how easily and quickly a “government” goes bad. There is nothing new under the sun.
See what happens when people like that is put in power to do as they please without fear of prosecution LIKE CHINA JOE biden
Might as well take all that money and throw it down a well, same results!! Only the criminal dems wont get their cut!!!
How in the hell can these people ever even get to a confirmation hearing they should be in prison. They bitch mon and complain we need money. When they get it they complain, you gave it to me you should of made sure I did not screw giving it away. These people need to be . Well that’s all I care to say. Thing is these is nothing ever going to happen to these crooks. God help us.
Ritz. That’s it. We absolutely need Gods help.
If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven , and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14.
No man on earth can change anything unless this scripture happens and he or she is sent and appointed by God.
Like putting the fox in chsrge of the hen house,can’t trust a demon rat know father then you can smell them,evil people
Maybe the amount that was stolen from the first stimulus should be deducted from the second stimulus forcing the state to pay more attention to where the money is going. Also that the people in charge of the first distribution should be investigated and prosecuted as is fit.
I totally agree!
And to think they wanted more money!
Remember it was never enough?
The corrupt U.S. officials who surely now outnumber the honest ones have allied with any entity, foreign or domestic, that will “suck the USA”s Life’s blood dry. What a party Satan’s children are having here !!!
Don’t forget, democrats never let a catastrophe go unused. They see it as opportunity to do more damage and increase their power.
California, one of about six states with billions of dept,are all looking for the fortyfour other states to bail them out. This is what Democratic control gov. States have in common.
Oh. Did you notice that these blue state are CONTROL BY DEMOCRAT? AND YOU KEEP VOTING FOR THEM! That should be your problem not the federal government or other state taxpayer problem!
This is a blockbuster story , why isn’t it on every news station ? Oh that’s right the demons , I mean democrats , control the media. If the media would do the right thing and report this and many other stories out there maybe we could finally become United !!! IN GOD WE TRUST !!!!
They think the tax payers should bail these STUPI PEOPLE RUNNING THESE STATES out, think again. What kind of morons are in these blue states government that we should pay to help you cause your to stupid to run your states!
I AM TOTALLY AGAINST CA OR ANY OTHER BLUE STATE GETTING ANOTHER DIME OF TAXPAYERS MONEY TO BAIL THEM OUT OF THIS MESS???????? THE DEMS WERE IN CHARGE AND STOLE THE MONEY???????? THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE THE SMARTS TO VERIFY THE CLAIM BEFORE DOLING OUT THE MONEY??????? AS PER USUAL……DEMS (FRAUD PARTY) DO NOT KNOW HOW TO VERIFY OR FACT CHECK ANYTHING??????? BEFORE THE TAKE THE PLUNGE??????? THE THEY END UP WITH MUDD ON THEIR FACES……AND MILLIONS IN THEIR POCKETS?????? DUH!!!! DUH!!!!!! “WHERE OR WHERE DID THE MONEY GO”!!!!!!!!!! NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO “BLAME” THE GOVERNMENT????? LOL LOL LOL. WHAT FOOLS THE FRAUDS ARE ?????? IT WILL TAKE YEARS “IF” THEY EVER INVESTIGATE TO FIND OUT??????? MY GUESS……IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN??????????
I agree 100% Patty.
No federal money for crazy California politician Newsom and associates. Train to nowhere. Wake up California before is to late. Maybe already is. That why people running from here like from sinking Titanic.
This is a joke. Arizona has become California lite as all the people fleeing CA move here and bring their crooked politics with them. Don’t expect Biden to choose responsible qualified people to fill those positions. He is only the puppet on camera. Those making decisions are corrupt and want the same caliber to sit in these positions so they can continue to destroy and bankrupt our country. Those of you who voted for this corrupt bunch, I hope you lose everything too. You deserve it.
The people who handled and distributed this money should have their personal accounts audited we may be surprised where that money is. Audit should be mandatory cause it is clear they do not know how to handle money for the state of California but some how they do good with their personal acct. and what nice houses they live in.
We the people must take our country back from the corrupt socialists dems before we don’t have a country. Pray to God for help and guidance