How Conn got away with this for so long defies logic. How could local management have missed this? Conn was openly mocking the system for years and no one took the time to look at what he was doing? Why would Andrus run cover for this guy and Daugherty, the corrupt ALJ?
It is a shame that coverage of this story is eroding the public trust in the entire disability program. No way of really knowing how widespread fraud is but I think the general public thinks it is higher than it really is.
@9:54AM stated, “How could local management have missed this?
1). Because it’s always about the numbers - always.
2). I do not believe local management missed this. My understanding is the whistleblowers in this case were threatened, punished, and retaliated against every time they expressed concern, and guess who was doing the threatening, punishing, and retaliating - local Management.
@12:04 Spot on. I started reporting in 2005 and did so everyday until my departure and I haven't stopped since. They knew, they counted on those numbers. It is absolutely always about the numbers. There is more than 1 corrupt ALJ. Andrus is just as guilty but has never been charged. Maybe one day the full details will be made public and every person will be properly charged but I'm not holding my breath.
the episode was factually accurate; the only thing missing (as pointed out by others) was the culpability of management over the HOCALJ who were made aware of the situation but chose to ignore it.
@ 10;51 Agreed. A small number of dumb and immoral judges and lawyers out of thousands. The simple fact of human nature is that in any large group you will find at least some like that whether it be lawyers, judges, journalists, priests or politicians.
How did they not know? Hell...they were just doing what HQ encouraged them to do. And you know what? It's still going on today. Oh, I don't mean the out-and-out fraud of Conn, but rather the insane and wrongheaded emphasis on numbers/numbers/numbers that got the agency into that total dumpster fire of a mess. The culture which produced Daugherty and his ilk is very much alive and well, just much less overt.
I still an convinced that 95% of Conn's cases was "greasing the skids." Daugherty was an extremely high payer, even if you exclude Conn's cases. He was getting bonuses for "hearing" so many cases. The truly criminal part of this is how people like Senators Lankford and Cotton have used it to "put the screws" on the program and then complain about the backlog. If SSA was paying cases that should be paid, there would be much fewer cases "clogging up" the legal system (See Washington Post-Captain with PTSS).
How Conn got away with this for so long defies logic. How could local management have missed this? Conn was openly mocking the system for years and no one took the time to look at what he was doing? Why would Andrus run cover for this guy and Daugherty, the corrupt ALJ?
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that coverage of this story is eroding the public trust in the entire disability program. No way of really knowing how widespread fraud is but I think the general public thinks it is higher than it really is.
ReplyDelete@9:54AM stated, “How could local management have missed this?
ReplyDelete1). Because it’s always about the numbers - always.
2). I do not believe local management missed this. My understanding is the whistleblowers in this case were threatened, punished, and retaliated against every time they expressed concern, and guess who was doing the threatening, punishing, and retaliating - local Management.
Regional and top management knew all about the numbers. They turned a blind eye.
ReplyDelete@12:04 Spot on. I started reporting in 2005 and did so everyday until my departure and I haven't stopped since. They knew, they counted on those numbers. It is absolutely always about the numbers. There is more than 1 corrupt ALJ. Andrus is just as guilty but has never been charged. Maybe one day the full details will be made public and every person will be properly charged but I'm not holding my breath.
ReplyDelete@12:55
ReplyDeleteStatute of limitations likely up on any new charges...Daugherty was ousted in 2011.
Go higher than that--it's a crime SSA let Cristaudo and especially ol' Jasper Bede stick around after "managing" all of these goings on.
ReplyDeletethe episode was factually accurate; the only thing missing (as pointed out by others) was the culpability of management over the HOCALJ who were made aware of the situation but chose to ignore it.
ReplyDelete@ 10;51
ReplyDeleteAgreed. A small number of dumb and immoral judges and lawyers out of thousands. The simple fact of human nature is that in any large group you will find at least some like that whether it be lawyers, judges, journalists, priests or politicians.
Good lord Sarah and Jennifer shut up already. You got your payday blowing the whistle.
ReplyDeleteHow did they not know? Hell...they were just doing what HQ encouraged them to do. And you know what? It's still going on today. Oh, I don't mean the out-and-out fraud of Conn, but rather the insane and wrongheaded emphasis on numbers/numbers/numbers that got the agency into that total dumpster fire of a mess. The culture which produced Daugherty and his ilk is very much alive and well, just much less overt.
ReplyDeleteI still an convinced that 95% of Conn's cases was "greasing the skids." Daugherty was an extremely high payer, even if you exclude Conn's cases. He was getting bonuses for "hearing" so many cases. The truly criminal part of this is how people like Senators Lankford and Cotton have used it to "put the screws" on the program and then complain about the backlog. If SSA was paying cases that should be paid, there would be much fewer cases "clogging up" the legal system (See Washington Post-Captain with PTSS).
ReplyDelete