Rep. Carolyn Maloney Demands Probe Of Nazi Social Security Payments
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New York City congresswoman is demanding an immediate investigation following an Associated Press report that suspected Nazi war criminals and former SS guards received millions of dollars in American Social Security benefits.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat, requested the inquiry in letters sent Monday to the inspectors general at the Justice Department and Social Security Administration.
"The current policy ... is to remove Nazi war criminals from the U.S. and to deny them Social Security benefits, but there is a loophole under the law, which in some cases individuals were denaturalized but never formally deported or removed," Maloney told WCBS 880. "And without a final order of deportation or removal, the Social Security cannot cut off the benefits."
Maloney, a high-ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called the payments a "gross misuse of taxpayer dollars." She said she plans to introduce legislation to close the loophole.
The Social Security Administration has refused AP's request to provide the total number of Nazi suspects who received benefits and the dollar amounts of those payments.
AP last week appealed the agency's denial of the information through the Freedom of Information Act.
The White House said Monday the suspected war criminals should not receive payments. It said the Social Security Administration and the Department of Justice will work "within the confines of current law" to cut off benefits for those who should not receive them.
"Our position is we don't believe these individuals should be getting these benefits," White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.
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