The new GOP-led House Oversight Committee comes out swinging…
As previously reported by The Drill Down, COVID relief programs have been looted —billions in funds are missing from fraud, waste, and abuse.
$750 million in relief checks went to convicted criminals; billions of dollars were taken by scammers from the COVID-19 Relief Fund; and billionaire celebrities took advantage of Payment Protection Plan loans while flying around in private jets.
Inspector General Larry D. Turner said in a statement that pandemic relief funds were hit by “historical levels of fraud,” with more than 1000 individuals already charged for making fraudulent claims.
“This milestone of 1,000 individuals being charged with crimes involving UI fraud and the identification of $45.6 billion in potentially fraudulent UI payments highlights the magnitude of this problem,” Inspector General Larry D. Turner said in a statement.
“Hundreds of billions in pandemic funds attracted fraudsters seeking to exploit the UI program — resulting in historic levels of fraud and other improper payments,” Turner added.
But here comes oversight…
On Wednesday, the GOP got to work looking into how COVID relief could have been so incompetently managed.
“I will get the backs of America’s taxpayers,” tweeted committee chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY) earlier this week. “That is why on February 1, @GOPoversight will hold our first hearing titled ‘Federal Pandemic Spending: A Prescription for Waste, Fraud, and Abuse,’ to focus on the rampant waste of taxpayer $$$ in COVID relief programs.”
Comer shared the committee’s intentions in his opening statement.
As Chairman, I intend to focus this Committee’s attention and resources on its core mission: to ensure our government is working for the American people in an efficient manner; agencies guard taxpayer funds from fraudsters and ineligible participants; and political leadership be held accountable for the bad consequences of their policies.
Last Congress, Democrats strayed far from this mission. The Biden Administration faced little to no scrutiny under unchecked, one-party Democrat rule in Washington.
This Committee conducted almost no oversight of federal government agencies, programs, or policies. The nonpartisan Lugar Center gave Democrats an “F” in oversight last Congress.
The American people have suffered from the lack of oversight and accountability.
Yes, we have. Here’s to accountability.