Who: Social Security Administration
What: Used the stimulus to distribute $250 checks to 23 inmates in Massachusetts prisons. Whereas 15 inmates had their Social Security payments stopped, their records didn’t indicate that they were in prison, allowing them to receive the checks even though they hadn’t received checks in more than two decades. The remaining inmates received checks because of other exceptions.
Why it’s an outrage:The stimulus mandated that anyone collecting Social Security, Veterans Affairs or Railroad Retirement Board benefits between November 2008 and January 2009 was due the $250 one-time payment. But was stimulating the prison economy part of the plan?
Where to vent: Call Stephen Richardson, regional public affairs specialist, at 617-565-2881.
