$1.15 Billion Going to Whom? Investigate 'Fraud-Plagued' Settlement With Black Farmers, Congressman Says

If there was a way to stop all of the fraud and abuse in our government, we wouldn't have a budget problem in this Country. It doesn't seem like very many people are interested in addressing the misuse of tax dollars. Steve King seems willing to take it on.

The pigford case is a prime example of how abuse of our system costs tax payers BILLIONS of dollars. How is it, exactly, that there were 33,000 black farmers in the period of time in question, yet there are over 94,000 claims for damages? If the number of claimants were 35,000 or even 38,000 one could imagine errors in the record keeping. But nearly three times the number? And 78 republicans don't see a need to put this on hold while an investigation takes place?

Here is some history and a little more on the case. The federal government steals our tax dollars for their own use and we are supposed to remain silent and let it happen, over and over again. It sure is easy to spend money that isn't yours. Our government should be responsible enough with our tax dollars to ensure that they are spent wisely, but it seems that is rarely the case...

By Susan Jones - CNSNews

An effort to stop more than a billion dollars of taxpayer money from being redistributed to "anonymous claimants" failed in the House this week, but it may have set the stage for a congressional investigation.

Rep. Steve King's amendment to block $1.15 billion allocated for the "fraud-plagued" Pigford II discrimination settlement with black farmers failed on a vote of 155-262 on Friday.

All 155 votes in favor of blocking the money came from Republicans. And 78 Republicans – including Reps. Darrell Issa (Calif.) and Alan West (Fla.) -- joined Democrats in killing the amendment. (See roll call)

Rep. King (R-Iowa) offered the amendment to an Agriculture Appropriations bill because of concerns about widespread fraud in the Agriculture Department's second settlement with black farmers who claim they were discriminated against in getting USDA farm loans and benefits in the 16-year period from Jan. 1, 1981 to Dec. 31, 1996.

Although his amendment failed, King noted that 155 Members of Congress "are prepared to join me in pulling the plug on funding" for the settlement, dubbed "Pigford II" after the name of the lead plaintiff.

"In light of the strong showing of support for my effort to block funding for Pigford II, the House should now be prepared to initiate a Congressional investigation. The 155 votes my amendment received indicate that the stage has been set for this Congress to investigate Pigford II fraud fully," King said.

As CNSNews.com previously reported, the federal government in 1999 paid out about $1 billion to 15,640 black farmers who claimed the USDA had discriminated against them by refusing to provide them with federally subsidized farm loans and benefits in the years 1981-1996.

In 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama got another $100 million appropriated through that year's farm bill to compensate African American farmers who alleged discrimination by USDA during the 1981-1996 period but had missed the 1999 filing deadline under the original Pigford case.

Then in 2010, President Barack Obama signed a bill awarding another $1.15 billion to African American farmers who supposedly missed the Pigford I deadline -- and on top of the earlier $100 million. It is this $1.15 billion that Rep. King is seeking to block.

King has said the settlement with black farmers has morphed into a “modern-day slavery reparations programs.”

Critics also say the numbers don't add up. Members of Congress and attorneys for the plaintiffs said there could be as many as 94,000 potential claimants for the $1.25 billion Pigford II settlement, but the U.S. Census Bureau reports that from 1981 to 1996, the number of African American farmers peaked at 33,000. As noted, more than 15,000 of them already have received settlements under Pigford I.

"How is it possible that (Agriculture) Secretary (Tom) Vilsack can identify 94,000 ‘victims’ of USDA discrimination against black farmers from a total universe of only 18,000 black farmers?" King asked on Friday.

Read the rest at the link above...