Mo. Dept. Comments on Out-of-State Food Stamp Spending

STATE SENATOR WILL KRAUS SAYS THERE’S FRAUD IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.

“A PERSON BEHIND ME, I WAS ON THE CELL PHONE TALKING, HEY I’VE GOT MR. SMITH’S FOOD STAMP CARD I’M HERE BUYING A HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF FOOD, I’VE GOTTA GET THAT…THAT GAVE ME THE IDEA, THERE ARE PEOPLE SELLING THEIR EBT CARDS.”

SO HE WANTS A VALID PHOTO I-D REQUIREMENT ON FOOD STAMP CARDS.

SOME DEMS THINK IT MAY BE A BAD IDEA.

“I THINK THAT IT COULD BE AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.”

BUT ON THE ISSUE OF FRAUD, LAWMAKERS CAN REALLY ONLY FUND PROGRAMS TO FIGHT IT.

“WE DON’T NECESSARILY DRILL DOWN AND LOOK FOR IT OURSELVES. THERE ARE UNITS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND ALL DEPARTMENTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT.”

“SO LAWMAKERS HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN JEFFERSON CITY RECOMMENDED WE GO ACROSS THE STREET TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES … THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT GAVE US THESE NUMBERS ON OUT OF STATE SPENDING ON FOOD STAMPS INITIALLY. TURNS OUT, THEY’RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THE DETAILS BEHIND THE NUMBERS."

WE SENT AN EMAIL TO COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR SETH BUNDY.

CAN WE SET UP AN INTERVIEW FOR TOMORROW?

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SHOW THE TAXPAYERS HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO SAFEGUARDING MONEY SET ASIDE FOR FAMILIES ON ASSISTANCE.

BUNDY’S RESPONSE?

CAUGHT YOU PIECE LAST NIGHT.

I THINK I’LL PASS ON THE INTERVIEW.

THANKS.

BUT AFTER WE POSTED A WEB STORY SAYING THE DEPARTMENT WOULDN’T COMMENT, BUNDY SENT ANOTHER EMAIL, THIS TIME OFFERING MILITARY FAMILIES ON FOOD STAMPS STATIONED OUTSIDE MISSOURI AS A VIABLE EXPLANATION FOR SOME OUT OF STATE SPENDING.

IT WAS A SHORT ANSWER TO LOTS OF QUESTIONS YOU RAISED ON OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE, AFTER THE INITIAL STORY BECAME ONE OF THE MOST VIEWED STORIES ON KOMU.COM

ACCORDING TO BUNDY, DSS FOUND 3000 CASES OF FRAUD ACROSS, QUOTE, A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS. STILL, NO ANSWER ON HOW MANY OF THEM WERE FOOD STAMP RELATED.