Dead people & inmates are still getting stimulus money

In a new $787 billion stimulus accountability report a government investigator found that more than 89,000 people received stimulus payments of $250 each. The lucky recipients were people (using the term loosely) whom were either in a graveyard or in prison.


According to the Social Security Administration's inspector general, $18 million stimulus dollars were mailed to at least 72,000 dead people. The same report offers some good news and estimates that half of those payments were returned to the federal government.


Another disturbing figure included in the Social Security’s Inspector General Report was the fact $4.3 million was distributed to more than 17,000 prison inmates.


The questionable payments were originally part of the Obama administration’s massive spending spree in the form of the economic recovery package that was signed into law in February 2009. A provision within the stimulus law included $250 checks to be sent out to 52 million Social Security recipients and various federal retirees.


It was also reported by this reporter (story below) that this is the second year that the federal government attempted to deliver government checks to dead people and folks behind bars.


STORY LAST YEAR


Stimulus dollars find its way to rapists and murderers
• August 27th, 2009 10:12 am PT


“Nobody messes with Joe,” said President Obama about the vice president. When it comes to protecting the $787 billion of stimulus money, eagle-eye Biden was supposed to monitor all the money being sent out. Unbeknownst to the vice president, the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has sent out nearly $1 million to convicted criminals across the country.


In a report from the Boston Herald, the Social Security Inspector General, is now looking into the nearly 4,000 criminals who received $250 checks that were sent out to those residing behind bars.
Spokesperson from the Republican National Committee Sara Sendek said, “President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill has done more to help convicted criminals than it has to actually boost our economy and create jobs.”


I guess crime does pay.


According to a Social Security representative, generally the incarcerated are not able to receive any benefits and none of the prisoners receive monthly Social Security checks which means they should not get any stimulus money.


At least nine of the inmates in Massachusetts that received $250 checks were convicted on crimes ranging from rape to first-degree murder, according to the State Department of Correction.


The $250 checks were mailed out to Social Security beneficiaries, federal railroad retirees and veterans as part of the $13 billion in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.


The Social Security office says this mistake is relatively small in comparison the overall $787 billion package.


Are these really the people we want running an additional one-sixth of our economy via health care?
http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/stimulus-dollars-find-its-way-to-rapists-and-murderers