Luke Rosiak

In another example, Jan Leventer, hearing cases in Queens, approved 94% of 2,200 cases. Some, including actually one of the supervisory judges, approved payments in literally 100% of the cases that they heard last year.

Yeah, so some of these rates seem basically mathematically impossible. It's evidence that the process is broken. This is important because you'll hear that it's a fool's errand to try to cut the federal deficit because so much of it is so-called non-discretionary items like Medicare and Social Security.

Yeah, so some of these rates seem basically mathematically impossible. It's evidence that the process is broken. This is important because you'll hear that it's a fool's errand to try to cut the federal deficit because so much of it is so-called non-discretionary items like Medicare and Social Security.

But this is an example of how the Department of Government Efficiency might find waste in those areas too.

But this is an example of how the Department of Government Efficiency might find waste in those areas too.

Yeah, but the problem is these are not real judges. They're not members of the judicial branch. They work for the Social Security Administration. And disability has historically been a pretty fraud-ridden program, with some non-disabled people viewing it as essentially a way to get welfare that isn't subjected to the five-year limit on actual welfare.

Yeah, but the problem is these are not real judges. They're not members of the judicial branch. They work for the Social Security Administration. And disability has historically been a pretty fraud-ridden program, with some non-disabled people viewing it as essentially a way to get welfare that isn't subjected to the five-year limit on actual welfare.

I'm not saying that the judges with those 90% plus approval ratings are all taking bribes, but a few years back, prosecutors found that one such judge was. He single-handedly steered more than half a billion dollars in benefits by ruling favorably in 3,000 cases in exchange for $600,000 in bribes from a lawyer. Wow. So this is real money, billions of dollars we're talking about here.

I'm not saying that the judges with those 90% plus approval ratings are all taking bribes, but a few years back, prosecutors found that one such judge was. He single-handedly steered more than half a billion dollars in benefits by ruling favorably in 3,000 cases in exchange for $600,000 in bribes from a lawyer. Wow. So this is real money, billions of dollars we're talking about here.

Yeah, and the process is very one-sided. People who are rejected from disability can appeal three times. There's nobody in these hearings representing the taxpayer's interests. It's usually just a lawyer arguing that the person is disabled. One of those lawyers told me that the whole thing is basically just a $200 billion crapshoot. He said, "...I don't think there's any real lawyering to it.

Yeah, and the process is very one-sided. People who are rejected from disability can appeal three times. There's nobody in these hearings representing the taxpayer's interests. It's usually just a lawyer arguing that the person is disabled. One of those lawyers told me that the whole thing is basically just a $200 billion crapshoot. He said, "...I don't think there's any real lawyering to it.

The game is to get as many hearings as I can because 50% are going to get approved no matter what if I just show up." He said the outcome basically came down to the political bent of the judge hearing it. One administrative law judge suggested that some of his colleagues viewed disability as essentially a way to give out reparations to minorities.

The game is to get as many hearings as I can because 50% are going to get approved no matter what if I just show up." He said the outcome basically came down to the political bent of the judge hearing it. One administrative law judge suggested that some of his colleagues viewed disability as essentially a way to give out reparations to minorities.

Hey, John. So the first thing to understand is that these are all, quote, independent agencies, which just means that their top person nominally reports directly to the president. But you got to keep in mind, they're so tiny that nobody, including the president, ever looks at them. I don't know that I've ever seen a more wild example of out of control on accountability than FMCS. Hmm.

Hey, John. So the first thing to understand is that these are all, quote, independent agencies, which just means that their top person nominally reports directly to the president. But you got to keep in mind, they're so tiny that nobody, including the president, ever looks at them. I don't know that I've ever seen a more wild example of out of control on accountability than FMCS. Hmm.

This is an agency that, prior to the pandemic, had a nine-story office tower in K Street for only 60 employees. Its hallways were lined with oil paintings of those employees and other artwork purchased from the boss's wife with government funds.

This is an agency that, prior to the pandemic, had a nine-story office tower in K Street for only 60 employees. Its hallways were lined with oil paintings of those employees and other artwork purchased from the boss's wife with government funds.

Good times, I guess. They built an in-house gym. They had a smoking lounge, showers in their office. This was an agency that was created to offer voluntary mediation services between businesses and unions. But plenty of private arbitrators already do that. So the main purpose of FMCS kind of became, as far as I could tell, just a slush fund for its employees. They had an office in Honolulu.

Good times, I guess. They built an in-house gym. They had a smoking lounge, showers in their office. This was an agency that was created to offer voluntary mediation services between businesses and unions. But plenty of private arbitrators already do that. So the main purpose of FMCS kind of became, as far as I could tell, just a slush fund for its employees. They had an office in Honolulu.

And basically, they would just commit what seemed like fraud in a way that was shocking. I mean, they listed the boss, Scott Beckenbaugh, as being on a six-year-long business trip to D.C. so that his rent and all of his meals would be paid for by the government just for showing up for work every day. He wouldn't have to dip into his $174,000 salary. They put relatives on the payroll.