So the trial judge looks up and says, ‘Is this a joke?’
This is a very common practice among the legal elite. Many have built their fortunes using this system, that oddly, was set up by lawyers and black robes in the first place.
Just imagine if govt followed the Constitution!
***
How many slaps on the wrists do these clowns get? /s
It points out the ease of getting The Disability if you know the system. It was designed that way by politicians who wanted another source of Welfare to buy votes.
Almost everyone I know on the The Disability has another source of income “under the table”. We have people trolling the neighborhood selling everything from meat to driveway sealing. All of them claim to be disabled.
Tip of the iceberg.
Now, look for the recipients of kickbacks to those within the beltway.
A psychologist friend of mine does disability evaluations in Kentucky... the number of people trying to cheat the system is astounding. He regularly receives complaints from the interviewees, that are filed with the admins who then have to follow up with the psychologist. The interviewees never see his evaluations and file before they’ve even been rejected, but I suppose from his follow up questions they immediately realize he isn’t buying their answers or stories.
I’m actually surprised at this for the length of time and amount of the fraud. The ALJ must have also been someone in regional authority and was able to skirt reviews.
In my practice I was contracted by the SSA as an Expert Witness (factoid...the only place in the Federal Govt where someone is declared to be an “expert”.) and was involved in thousands of hearings over a 20 year period.
Even with all the backlogs and delays for claims there was a structure for catching fraud within the SSA/OHA offices that I frequented in Florida. It might take a while, but would have been caught long before 8 years and $5MM. Since the ALJ’s are lifetime appointments, the judge will probably get to keep his taxpayer-funded retirement.
No kidding.
Social Security Disability has turned into a vote buying scheme.
When the government makes something dirty, the little grifters come in for a taste of the stolen money, too.
Dear hyper-skeptical naysayers,
Sometimes the conspiracy is real.