War on Welfare Fraud Raging

Look out welfare swindlers, there’s a new sheriff in town and he aims to take you off the street and protect taxpayer money.  And that’s not just tough talk; he’s putting a whole lot of action behind those words.

According to a Pennsylvania State Police press release just minutes ago, they’ve recently arrested 10 people for fraudulently receiving public assistance benefits in excess of $66,000.

State Police

“Those who commit welfare fraud in Pennsylvania are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Inspector General Kenya Mann Faulkner said. “Exposing this kind of fraud helps ensure the integrity of the programs and the legitimacy of those who legally qualify for welfare benefits.”

We’ve been saying it for years: Criminals gaming the system really do take money away from those who are truly needy.  In the process, this also hurts funding other core functions of government, which leads to even more theft of taxpayers.

Our take:  It’s a great start, keep it up!  This is a vast improvement from the former administration where “close your eyes and authorize” welfare spending ruled the day.