Dem who opposed welfare fraud measure indicted – for food stamp fraud

[SVPete]

Dem who opposed welfare fraud measure indicted – for food stamp fraud
By Brooke Singman
Published June 24, 2016
FoxNews.com

An Arizona Democratic lawmaker who once voted against welfare fraud protections in her state has been indicted on felony charges of defrauding the food stamp program.

According to the indictment unsealed earlier this week, state Rep. Cecilia Velasquez was charged with three felony counts: unlawful use of food stamps, fraudulent schemes and practices, and theft.

The Arizona Department of Economic Security began investigating Velasquez in 2014. According to the Arizona DES, Velasquez fraudulently used $1,726 worth of food stamps between 2013 and 2015.

This past February, Velasquez had voted against a bill aimed at giving the same state agency stronger anti-fraud tools – a program that could have quickly detected her alleged fraudulent activity.

According to this AP-written article (sorry, Fox News haters, this story is real), Velasquez was charged with falsely claiming she has 2 dependents, giving a false address, and allowing her EBT card to be used by persons other than herself. Evidently, this isn't Rep. Velasquez's initial experience with being a scofflaw.

Per the National Conference of State Legislatures, AZ legislators make $24,000 per year, plus "$35/day for the first 120 days of the regular session and for special sessions and $10/day thereafter. Members residing outside Maricopa County receive an additional $25/day for the first 120 days of the regular session and for special sessions and an additional $10/day thereafter." Litchfield Park is in Maricopa County, so Velasquez is not eligible for the additional $25/day per diem. So, in 2015 Velasquez would have received $24K, plus - probably - more than $4200 in per diem.

Velasquez's bio page on the AZ Legislature website lists her profession as Paralegal, and she has worked both for a practicing attorney, and (more recently?) for the State of AZ in social services (the time frame for the indictment places the start of her welfare fraud before being elected to the legislature, back in the time when she worked for AZ social services). Her bio states that she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Looks like that plan may have been derailed, or maybe detoured into up close and personal firsthand experience therewith.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Poetic justice.

[Eupher]

Litchfield Park is in a fairly affluent section of Phoenix. Luke AFB is nearby as well.

[SVPete]

Litchfield Park is in a fairly affluent section of Phoenix. Luke AFB is nearby as well.

I used to live in the Phoenix area - but East of Central Avenue. But other than a few stopovers to change planes at Sky Harbor I haven't been in Phoenix since 19(mumblemumble)3. Thanks for the extra info. Thing is, states' and regions' cost of living are not homogeneous. Her ~$30K - salary plus per diem - would be like $60K-$80K in Silicon Valley - not princessly, but far from poverty. And that might not be (have been) her only source of income.

Fixed a typo

[SVPete]

Poetic justice.

I see two ironies:

* A Lib/Prog lawmaker having (allegedly) committed welfare fraud;

* A lawmaker's vote against better anti-fraud detection measures having been based on self-interest.

Were I able to mandate it, IF she is convicted, she would spend 5-10 years modelling orange jumpsuits in Casa Grande, and be banned from legal, law enforcement, and government employment for life. If that means minimum wage jobs flipping burgers or stuffing tacos and burritos or scooping ice cream, it's the lifestyle she chose!

[Ptarmigan]

Ironic.

[Eupher]

I used to live in the Phoenix area - but East of Central Avenue. But other than a few stopovers to change planes at Sky Harbor I haven't been in Phoenix since 19(mumblemumble)3. Thanks for the extra info. Thnig is, states' and regions' cost of living are not homogeneous. Her ~$30K - salary plus per diem - would be like $60K-$80K in Silicon Valley - not princessly, but far from poverty. And that might not be (have been) her only source of income.

Here's the thing that infuriates me to no end -- besides the theft and the money laundering and the grandstanding and the stonewalling that this so-called public servant is accused of -- this particular cucaracha evidently considers herself as some sort of professional politician. The people who are at the local level serving their constituents have to be delusional to think they can make some kind of living doing that. The system isn't set up that way. Those who are in politics at the local level are doing it on a part-time basis and have principal sources of income -- they certainly don't have the misguided perception that they can make a respectable wage doing that.

But waaaaay, waaaaay too many of these vermin think exactly that they've hit the big time and are entitled to slop themselves at the public trough.

And based on the photo, she's been doing one helluva good job slopping herself.

F'n swine. No, scratch that. She gives swine a bad name.

[thundley4]

Velasquez did not respond to a request for comment after the indictment was revealed on Wednesday. But she did publish a denial via her Twitter account: "I have done nothing wrong! This is a political witch hunt. I'm confident that justice WILL prevail once all the facts are known!"

  http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-lawmaker-cecilia-velasquez-indicted-for-food-stamp-fraud-8396432

It's a racist, misogynistic, political witch hunt. Come on bitch, play your full hand.

[SVPete]

Here's the thing that infuriates me to no end -- besides the theft and the money laundering and the grandstanding and the stonewalling that this so-called public servant is accused of -- this particular cucaracha evidently considers herself as some sort of professional politician. The people who are at the local level serving their constituents have to be delusional to think they can make some kind of living doing that. The system isn't set up that way. Those who are in politics at the local level are doing it on a part-time basis and have principal sources of income -- they certainly don't have the misguided perception that they can make a respectable wage doing that.

But waaaaay, waaaaay too many of these vermin think exactly that they've hit the big time and are entitled to slop themselves at the public trough.

And based on the photo, she's been doing one helluva good job slopping herself.

F'n swine. No, scratch that. She gives swine a bad name.

While she did work for some time with an attorney's office, it looks like for most of the past 20 years she has been employed by the State of Arizona. And her minor in continuing her education indicates that she was looking toward further state employment or work with advocacy groups. So, yeah, she's been at the public trough, in her legal employment, for years, and intended to continue that way.

[SVPete]

Velasquez did not respond to a request for comment after the indictment was revealed on Wednesday. But she did publish a denial via her Twitter account: "I have done nothing wrong! This is a political witch hunt. I'm confident that justice WILL prevail once all the facts are known!"

 http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-lawmaker-cecilia-velasquez-indicted-for-food-stamp-fraud-8396432

It's a racist, misogynistic, political witch hunt. Come on bitch, play your full hand.

Her victim-playing is anachronistic. The investigation into her system-gaming fraud began before she was elected to the legislature. Not that facts would stop her from playing victim.