Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Welfare fraud has blue states rushing - to shield the fraudsters
NY Post ^ | 5/06/26 | Ari Hoffman

Posted on 05/06/2026 6:09:46 AM PDT by Libloather

Last week, the FBI raided 22 shady day-care businesses in Minneapolis, Minn., as the federal government expanded its investigation of social-services fraud there.

On Monday, Vice President JD Vance added Columbus, Ohio, to his fraud task force’s agenda in the wake of a new report alleging a billion-dollar Medicaid scam.

Both investigations were spurred by the dogged work of citizen and independent journalists like Nick Shirley in Minneapolis and Luke Rosiak in Columbus, who knocked on doors and interviewed dozens of supposed service providers to uncover the truth about fraudsters who may have bilked the federal government of billions.

And up and down the West Coast, blue-state lawmakers have leaped to respond — by actively working to make it harder for journalists like me to do our jobs and expose fraud connected to day-care centers, hospices, home health care businesses and more.

In California Democrats are pitching AB 2624, dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” with claims that it’s a safety measure to protect immigrants and social-service workers from harassment.

But media watchdogs say it, and Democrats’ efforts in other state capitals, constitute a crackdown on the independent and citizen journalists who are exposing fraud in government — and warn that it’s just the start of a trend that could spread nationwide.

Shirley’s independent reporting on empty day cares like the now infamous “Quality Learing Center” helped expose $9 billion-plus in public funding provided to nonexistent child care centers, food programs and senior services in Minnesota alone.

His work — and its tens of millions of YouTube views — inspired other reporters to hit the streets across multiple states with cameras and stacks of public documents.

California’s law would criminalize the online sharing of photos or personal information of “immigrant service providers” if it’s done for purposes of “harassment.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: blue; fraud; fraudsters; highspeedrail; welfare
Message from Jim Robinson:

Dear FRiends,

We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.

If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you,

Jim

Sounds hugh.
1 posted on 05/06/2026 6:09:46 AM PDT by Libloather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Libloather

While Republican candidates do what? Expect Nick Shirley to do their dirty work for them.


2 posted on 05/06/2026 6:12:33 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

Is it any surprise that the party of slavery, the ku klux klan, infanticide, and election fraud would defend welfare fraud?


3 posted on 05/06/2026 6:13:38 AM PDT by Savage Beast (When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When the people are ready, the hero appears.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

A lot of Politicians must go to jail


4 posted on 05/06/2026 6:18:58 AM PDT by butlerweave (Fateh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Savage Beast

Nope. The entire Left is a taxpayer-supported organization.

Universities through grants and student loans, kick backs from criminals like this and NGOs, government unions, et al.


5 posted on 05/06/2026 6:19:50 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

Poverty Pays. Handsomely.


6 posted on 05/06/2026 6:21:30 AM PDT by ComputerGuy (YMMV)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheThirdRuffian

Yup.
The GOP gets money from donors who believe in the GOP.
The Democrats are funded by the government through mandatory taxes, received by the Democrats through fraud.


7 posted on 05/06/2026 6:29:38 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Texas Eagle

“While Republican candidates do what? Expect Nick Shirley to do their dirty work for them.”

There’s a clear indication of who is on the take and who is not.


8 posted on 05/06/2026 6:33:27 AM PDT by TheDon (Remember the J6 political prisoners! Remember Ashli Babbitt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

If these fraudsters were no integral to fund raising for the democrat left they would not be protecting them. The fraudsters know the routine, “share the loot with those that make the laws.”


9 posted on 05/06/2026 6:57:13 AM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist, MAGA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cpdiii

“were no” = were not


10 posted on 05/06/2026 6:58:22 AM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist, MAGA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

The fraudsters are like the Mob in Al Capone’s Chicago and the police, judges and politicians have all been bought off. When you have billions being bilked it makes sense to bribe judges and politicians.


11 posted on 05/06/2026 7:34:06 AM PDT by The Great RJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

Welfare fraud and abuse goes beyond blue state/red state lines.

The uniparty is dedicated to the uncontrolled and unsustainable growth of the social welfare state, the corporate welfare state and the military industrial complex.

Democrat wing takes care of the social welfare state.

The Republican wing takes care of the other two.

In other words gubmint operates for the benefit of those who operate.

We common folk are just the suckers who keep the printing press rolling.


12 posted on 05/06/2026 7:47:45 AM PDT by Biblebelter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Biblebelter
This is well said:

The uniparty is dedicated to the uncontrolled and unsustainable growth of the social welfare state, the corporate welfare state and the military industrial complex. Democrat wing takes care of the social welfare state. The Republican wing takes care of the other two. In other words gubmint operates for the benefit of those who operate. We common folk are just the suckers who keep the printing press rolling.

13 posted on 05/06/2026 8:20:00 AM PDT by spankalib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: butlerweave
A lot of Politicians must go to jail

You're killing me Smalls.

14 posted on 05/06/2026 8:38:18 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Libloather
California’s law would criminalize the online sharing of photos or personal information of “immigrant service providers” if it’s done for purposes of “harassment.”

Would purposes of investigative journalism be ok?

These same bastard lawmakers are perfectly happy with the serious, brutal, and vicious crimes committed by antifa terrorists and other leftists against investigative journalists. Their DAs and judges don’t lift a finger to hold them to account.

15 posted on 05/06/2026 9:43:48 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas Eagle
"While Republican candidates do what? Expect Nick Shirley to do their dirty work for them."

Exactly. Still ZERO "elite" arrests. Soros/Clinton/Omar/Singham and EVEN COMEY still walking free. Zero cuffs, zero perpwalks, zero mugshots.

The left is already shooting. I sure hope a couple ornery old veterans don't get stopped on the way home from the range at an antifa ch3ckpoint. I hope the next Kyle Rittenhouse doesn't get caught behind the lines during the next CHOPS. I hope the next Reginald Denny isn't a Ranger or Marine.

The left is already shooting.

The good guys need to see ARRESTS or they might lose hope and get involved.

16 posted on 05/06/2026 10:38:37 AM PDT by SENTINEL (Kneel down to God. Stand up to tyrants. STICK TO YOUR GUNS !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson