[sudo_gopnik]

I was just in a heated discussion on this recently - the current focus on the federal DOE itself being "fraudulent" is in my opinion completely misdirected at where fraud most likely is to occur, and is fully embodied here. The Federal DOE ultimately distributes supplementary (NOT supplant) funds earmarked for specific resources (e.g. food insecurity, special need population) to state education agencies where the actual procurement happens, and further these states decide ultimately who actually receives the money, who is on the approved vendor list, etc.

Unfortunately I think most people will look no further than the headline and think the current administration is correct in their strong attack on federal institutions like the federal DOE, when this was a fraud perpetuated at the state level and caught only by federal oversight (FBI, Postal Service, IRS Criminal Division).

[abhinai]

That’s a good take!

[blindriver]

You're wrong. The whole point is that the DoA and its ilk like USAID just dumps money and then feigns plausible deniability.

Did you see Reed Hoffman's answer when asked if he funds lawfare against RFK Jr so that he both can't add his name to ballots as well as remove them? He said, well I just hand off the money but I can't control what happens after that. Which is utter bullshit. That's plausible deniability in full view.

https://x.com/sheislaurenlee/status/1830358688890024386

There can be accountability and there needs to be accountability. If DoA is the enabler of fraud when it pays hundreds of millions of dollars to its NGOs that it knows is engaged in fraud, then USAID is guilty. It can't distribute taxpayer money so easily and say it doesn't have any control over the actions.