Fox News is often a left wing whipping boy. Last spring, the network reported stories of "widespread" fraud and abuse involving the food stamp program. Turns out, according to a recent Inspector General's report, Fox had the issue right.
Jon Stewart used the report to bash Fox News, saying for example "We read the chain emails you grandma gets in her inbox out loud like they were true."
Salon piled on. They described Stewart's act as "castigating the right wing propaganda shop" for repeating stories "you hear" about fraud and abuse.
The Department of Justice successfully prosecuted a Camden, New Jersey man for stealing over $2.5 million from the SNAP program. From recipients, he purchased benefits from customers for .50 cents on the dollar, then deposited the benefits as full purchases.
This case has been ongoing since May 2013, well before the Jon Stewart rant and Salon echo.
On the heels of this announcement came reports of the largest food stamp bust in history. Five Georgians, according to the US Attorney's office, "canvassed low income neighborhoods and solicited WIC (a program to help parents buy nutritious food for expecting mothers and small children) and food stamp participants to illegally exchange their benefits not for food, but for cash."
The conspirators allegedly netted $18 million in the scheme.
Despite left wing pontificating, food stamp abuse is alive and well.
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