1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: Michael Castration is not sniff sniff a slice eleven. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 2: Cut Mike, My, what big cabals you talk about? 3 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 3: We've unleashed the crazy today and and then I am 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 3: going to move on, but I just can't resist Guba 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 3: number ninety five sixty seven, Michael, what did it kill 6 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 3: you to maintain a little Christmas spirit while you talked 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 3: about the big wind coming and then a little you know, 8 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 3: little music notes and then all caps you could even 9 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 3: say it blows. 10 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 2: It's a Friday, sure feel like right now? 11 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 3: But today I wow, wow, Okay, let's get to the uh. 12 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 3: Maybe Bill don't care about this. I care about it, 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 3: so you have to care about it. At the start 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 3: of the COVID pandemic back in twenty twenty, just stick 15 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 3: with me here for a moment, California had more than 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 3: one hundred and twenty thousand prisoners incarcerated in state imprisons 17 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 3: throughout the state. When in response to the COVID triggered 18 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 3: shutdowns and the layoffs, that's when the federal government started 19 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,559 Speaker 3: pumping just massive amounts of money into the state unemployment 20 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 3: compensation programs. So the administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom 21 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 3: said hey, there's all this money coming in and well, 22 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 3: i'll tell you what he said in a minute. But 23 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 3: because somebody that's not using. 24 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 2: The appropriate text line said something. 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 3: You know, once you just stick to something you talk about, 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 3: let me tell you I know about this. So when 27 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: the COVID shutdowns started, one of my former employees, who 28 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 3: works for one of the big consulting firms, reached out 29 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 3: to me and wanted to know if I wanted to 30 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 3: join a team that they were putting together to help 31 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 3: places major cities, Denver, Los Angeles, Chicago, the setting. Boston 32 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 3: was on their list, maybe Miami Dade, There a lot 33 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 3: of places, because I honestly don't remember which of the 34 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 3: tranches of money that it was, but it was, you know, 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: trillions of dollars coming down the pipe, and they wanted 36 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 3: this consulting firm was advising these municipalities, these large municipalities, 37 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: on how to obtain the money and what they could 38 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 3: spend the money on, and then all of the requirements 39 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 3: that were in place to handle the money, account for 40 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 3: the money, you know, mitigate against fraud, blah blah blah 41 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 3: blah blah. 42 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 2: So I didn't jump on the team. 43 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: Instead, I asked questions, because before I commit to something, 44 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: I want to know what are the parameters, what are 45 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,679 Speaker 3: the expectations, what's the compensation? 46 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 2: All those things. 47 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 3: And the one line or the one statement to me 48 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 3: that said, oh, I'm not going to get involved with 49 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 3: that was something to this effect there are no guidelines. 50 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 3: And I responded and said, what do you mean they're 51 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 3: no guidelines. Treasury has said there are no guidelines. They 52 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 3: are not publishing anything. They're not publishing any notices in 53 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 3: the Federal Register where you have to, you know, give 54 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 3: notification of certain rules and regulations or even policies that 55 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 3: you need to abide by in order to obtain the money. 56 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 3: They're just literally, and I'm not using a word literally, 57 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 3: you know, incorrectly here, I'm saying it literally. 58 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: There were no rules. 59 00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 3: The money was just flowing down the pipeline to these 60 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: major cities and to the states, including Colorado and Denver 61 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 3: to use as a self hit. So back to California, 62 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: you may start to get the hint. More than one 63 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 3: hundred and twenty thousand inmates and all their state prisons 64 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 3: across the state. So in response to and in fact, 65 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 3: some of the money was for the state's unemployment compensation programs. 66 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: So the administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom said, in effect, 67 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 3: hey let's pay the prisoners in jails because they're unemployed. Now, 68 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 3: why would you do that. We'll get in some details 69 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 3: in a minute, but why would you even think that? 70 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 3: Because on every dollar that you dispensate, that you allocate, 71 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: that you give away, part of that dollar you get 72 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 3: to keep because you have overhead, you have administrative costs, 73 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 3: you have everything that you can possibly imagine. You've got 74 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 3: all the bureaucrats that you've got to pay you and 75 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 3: because are no rules, you could even siphon some of 76 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 3: that money off to cover some of your operating expenses 77 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 3: on some other programs that have nothing to do with 78 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 3: unemployment compensation. So if you're thinking, maybe you're not after 79 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 3: the last hour, if you're beginning to think when Newsom says, hey, 80 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 3: let's pay the prisoners in jails because they're unemployed too, 81 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 3: now you may understand why somebody that is steeped in 82 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 3: how to rip off taxpayers, like most governors are, you 83 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 3: may get where this is headed. It is a fact 84 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 3: that prison inmates in California prisons in county jails applied 85 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: for and were paid unemployment compensation by Newsom's Employment Development Department. 86 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 2: The eded NO not ed ed D. 87 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 3: It's even worse than erectile dysfunction. It's ed it's E trouble, 88 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 3: trouble double D, E double D. That's the group in 89 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 3: California that runs their state unemployment compensation system. Now, to 90 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 3: compare and contrast a little bit, the fraud losses in 91 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 3: Minnesota from the exploitation of the covid era social welfare 92 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 3: programs funded by you and I across the entire country 93 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: because it's federal money. We know that that Somali fraud, 94 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 3: if I could dares call it, that is well over 95 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 3: a billion dollars, and that investigation is ongoing and they're 96 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 3: finding new instances of fraudulent behavior that are continuing to 97 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 3: be uncovered. But the fraud losses from just the unemployment 98 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 3: insurance scams by individuals throughout the entire state of California, 99 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 3: it's probably going to exceed thirty billion dollars. 100 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: Huh, Where is the cabal? Where is? This? 101 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 3: Is ABC World News Tonight. David Muir our lead story tonight, 102 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 3: is California spent thirty billion dollars, most of who was 103 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: a fraudulent on inmates. You see, they practiced journalism malpractice 104 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 3: by both Old Mission and co Mission. Now, when the 105 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 3: COVID pandemic first began back in March of twenty twenty, 106 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 3: the economic shutdown policies put in placed by Newsom, like 107 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 3: most states, were some including Colorado, were some of the 108 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: most draconian imposts anywhere in the country. He had this 109 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 3: initial stay at home order that he entered on March nineteen, 110 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 3: twenty twenty. From April through May of twenty twenty, those 111 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:54,239 Speaker 3: policies kept California largely shut down through the statewide stay 112 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 3: at home order and the closure of all non essential businesses. 113 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 3: I'm not even going to go down that rabbit of 114 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 3: what'sn't essential or non essential business because that's a whole 115 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 3: pile of bull crap that I don't want to get 116 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 3: messed up in right now. And then the state began 117 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 3: a phased reopening of just some what they considered to 118 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 3: be lower risk sectors in mid May, but those still 119 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 3: had to comply with very strict health guidelines. 120 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 2: So all that, all that minutia. 121 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 3: Shaped California's economic landscape during the early months of the pandemic. 122 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: Now, what's the governor to do? 123 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 3: What would a governor do when his policies send a 124 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 3: huge number of workers home for an indefinite period of 125 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 3: time and then the businesses that employed them are forced 126 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 3: to shut their doors. 127 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: Well, you look around, you look over. 128 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 3: There, and there's just like bags and bags of money 129 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 3: laying around. So you say to yourself, hmm, I think 130 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 3: I'll pay them air quotes here unemployment compensation because that's 131 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 3: what the programs for, right, So you forced them into unemployment, 132 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 3: and now including prisoners, you say, well, I think I'll 133 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 3: just pay them unemployment funds for unemployment compensation comes from 134 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 3: a tax that's levied on employers payrolls. In twenty nineteen, 135 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: just before COVID, California's eded collected five point six billion 136 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 3: dollars in unemployment tax and they paid out five point 137 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 3: one billion in compensation to people who were eligible who'd 138 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 3: lost their jobs. So you know that leads you the 139 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 3: delta between five point six and five point one billion, 140 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 3: you know, about half a billion dollars. So that's probably 141 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 3: where their overhead, administrative costs, everything else. Five hundred million 142 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 3: dollars in twenty twenty, remember two twenty nineteen, it was 143 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 3: five point six billion paid in taxes five point one 144 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 3: billion paid in unemployment compensation. Just a year later, in 145 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 3: twenty twenty, California's same ed paid out thirty three and 146 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 3: a half billion in unemployment compensation by the end of June. 147 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 3: How did they do that? One of the first COVID 148 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: era federal spending programs that was put in place by 149 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 3: Congress was the mass even fusion of cash to the 150 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 3: state unemployment insurance funds, since unemployment insurance taxes had obviously 151 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 3: been reduced dramatically by the layoffs. If nobody's working, there's 152 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 3: no employment, there are no salaries from which to collect 153 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 3: unemployment tax. So with the workers laid off, the revenue 154 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 3: from the tax on the payroads started to decline precipitously, 155 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 3: and at the same time, unemployment claims were skyrocketing and 156 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 3: the state compensation funds were quickly becoming insolvent, including California. 157 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: So between March and July twenty twenty, the federal government 158 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 3: paid an additional six hundred dollars per claimant unemployed person 159 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 3: per eligible unemployed person to be paid on top of 160 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 3: the regular benefits paid by California to that unemployed worker. 161 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 3: This was referred to as quote the Federal Pandemic Unemployment 162 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 3: Compensation the FPUC. 163 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 2: Well, I could, I could. 164 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 3: Name that acronym in a minute, the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, 165 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 3: and California got fifty billion dollars in twenty twenty a. 166 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 2: Loan in those FPUC funds. 167 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 3: Now, normally, while terminated workers in California can't apply for 168 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 3: benefits immediately, there is a one week waiting period before 169 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 3: the worker actually begins to receive the money. But when 170 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 3: COVID hit, Lowsom eliminated that one week period, and so 171 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 3: if you got terminated, you began receiving the money almost 172 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 3: immediately after applying. You walked in or you went online, 173 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 3: you applied for it, and boom, you got a you know, 174 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 3: you got a debit card. You got to you gotta 175 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 3: check somehow, or money shut up in your checking account. 176 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 3: And in Congress, because they're just as stupid as these governors, 177 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 3: they fully funded the Pandemic Unemployment Assistant Program that extended 178 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 3: those same unemployment benefits to self employed people, to gig 179 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 3: workers in like an Uber driver or a door dash driver, 180 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,719 Speaker 3: and to others that are not normally eligible for unemployment 181 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 3: compensation because they don't have an employer that pays into 182 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 3: the system, and all of that gets funded entirely with 183 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 3: federal money from you and me. Now, finally, congress fully, 184 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 3: I shouldn't say finally that way, I should say finally 185 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 3: congress fully funded the pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program that 186 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 3: extended unemployment benefits two additional weeks of benefits after their 187 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 3: regular unemployment in their UI benefits were exhausted. All fully 188 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 3: federal states didn't have to do anything. It was just 189 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 3: manna from heaven. Between the CARES Act thirteen additional weeks, 190 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 3: then you had the Continued Assistance Act that added eleven 191 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 3: additional weeks. And then of course the wonderful American Rescue 192 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 3: Planned that was the one I couldn't think of earlier. 193 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 3: That was the one that the team that the consulting 194 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 3: firm wanted me to work on. That added twenty six 195 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 3: additional weeks and an all through fifty three weeks, so 196 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 3: you had continued coverage for unemployment benefits was extended nearly 197 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 3: eighteen months, all the way to September fourth of twenty 198 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 3: twenty one, after COVID began, and the funding for every 199 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: one of those time extensions for benefits was provided, Congress 200 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 3: authorized it, you and I paid for it. 201 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 2: What'd that do well? 202 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 3: That left all these programs in the states just drowning 203 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 3: in money to hand out the applicants for unemployment insurance. 204 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 3: And the last thing that a politician wants to do 205 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 3: is have money sitting up on a shelf. It's like 206 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 3: you look up and it's not the ouf on the shelf, 207 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: it's the bag of money on the shelf, and you 208 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 3: think to yourself, Oh, I could be buying votes with that. 209 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 3: I got to get that out the door, you would think, 210 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: But you would be wrong that these state governments would 211 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 3: understand the importance of trying to be a good steward 212 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 3: of the money that you and I paid in through 213 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: our income taxes and from our federal borrowing. That they 214 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 3: might want to safeguard that, that they might want to 215 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 3: put some rules and regulations in place. But like I said, no, 216 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 3: we're not going to put any rules and regulations in place. 217 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 3: It's just going to be bag fulls of money. And 218 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 3: certainly not the Gavin administration. They didn't care. Do you 219 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 3: think that they could even say fiduciary responsibility? Do you 220 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 3: think Gavin Newsom can even spell fiduciary, I sincerely doubt it. 221 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 3: So they began to use the excuse that the expansion 222 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 3: of eligibility, Oh, it's overwhelming our system. So Newsom's ed 223 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 3: EDD was unable to implement. Actually, I think I should 224 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 3: say this. Instead, they decided not to implement fraud detection 225 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 3: mechanisms at the same scale as the new level of claims. 226 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 3: In other words, their fraud detection system became overwhelmed, and 227 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 3: rather than try to befit up to the new level 228 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 3: of money flowing through the system, they just let it 229 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 3: overwhelm their fraud detection system and just don't worry about that, 230 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 3: just let it go. So, rather than allow any delay 231 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 3: to perform even a rudimentary screening effort such as you know, 232 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 3: just simply cross referencing the claimants against other state databases 233 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 3: to find out whether, hey, they're collecting in Colorado and California, 234 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 3: which would obviously disclose ineligibility in California, their EDED simply 235 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 3: approved the claims and process the payments. Just push the 236 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 3: money out the door. Now, I remember having a conversation 237 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 3: with the consulting firm at the time that what that's 238 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 3: what we're trying to help these places do which is 239 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 3: why I washed my hands. 240 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 2: I wanted nothing to do with it. 241 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 3: NBC I found one report NBC News December of twenty twenty. 242 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 3: They swerved into a little actual journalism. NBC News reported 243 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 3: in December of twenty twenty that tens of thousands of 244 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 3: prison and jail inmates, including convicted serial killers and member 245 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 3: Scott Peterson, the cop you know it was convicted of 246 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 3: killing his wife or something, they've carried out what prosecutors 247 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 3: described tuesday as possible league the largest fraud scheme in 248 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 3: California history. And then the report goes on to tell 249 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 3: you just how bad it was. 250 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 2: Bernie made Off got nothing on You've governed, No, he doesn't. 251 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 3: We're talking about this fraud in California over the COVID money. 252 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 3: And the reason this is important is because the federal 253 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 3: government has become so and I know this is shocking 254 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 3: news to you, has become so inept, so incompetent, so big, 255 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 3: so monstrous that it is unmanageable, and things like this 256 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 3: add up. 257 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, thirty billion. 258 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 3: Here, a billion up in Minnesota or more, and pretty 259 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 3: soon you're talking about real money and what's most infuriating 260 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 3: to me is while I'm very fortunate in my life, 261 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 3: I mean I'm not as fortunate, not as fortunate as 262 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,239 Speaker 3: someone like Dragon. But you know, I make I make 263 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 3: a good living, and you know I've done pretty well 264 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 3: and don't have any debts, and you know, I'm pretty good. 265 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 3: But when I pay my freaking income tax and I 266 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 3: see how much is going to this kind of bull 267 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 3: crap and realize that, oh, taxes really don't have to 268 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 3: be that high if we would just operate efficiently and 269 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 3: operate like a real business, I get really ticked off. 270 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 3: And then I find and I forget what prompted me 271 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 3: to even think about this consulting firm yesterday. But then 272 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 3: when I dig in and I find this NBC News 273 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 3: story to help support my contention, as lawyers like to do, 274 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 3: if I do follow on and realize, well, yeah, and 275 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 3: what are we doing? Once again, where's the accountability? So 276 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 3: back to the story. Now, Remember this NBC News report 277 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 3: is not a local affiliate. This is the NBC News website. 278 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 3: This is from December of twenty twenty, and it started 279 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,679 Speaker 3: out talking about how tens of thousands of prison and 280 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 3: jail inmates, including convicted serial killers have carried out what 281 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 3: prosecutors described Tusay as possibly the largest fraud scheme in 282 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 3: California history, up to a billion dollars according to the 283 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 3: DA in Sacramento County, and she said, quote, the fraud 284 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 3: is honestly staggering. Between March and August, the DA said 285 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 3: that inmates housed in every single California prison and in 286 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 3: jails across the state filed thirty five thousand claims totally 287 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 3: one hundred and forty million dollars in benefits. Sometimes they 288 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 3: write those benefits were paid directly to inmates inside the jail. 289 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 3: In other cases, the money was sent to relatives and 290 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 3: friends outside the prisons in jails. It and I'm just joking, 291 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 3: but it makes you think to yourself, why am I honest? 292 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 3: Why do I try to, you know, play by the rules? 293 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 3: Why did I they're playing by the rules because there 294 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: were no rules and no rules. And Gavin Newsom looks 295 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 3: at it, just like Jared Poults looked at you know, 296 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 3: building the damn hospital down at the Convention Center. Just 297 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 3: looks at it and builds it and you know, never 298 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 3: is used. I don't think a single patient went through 299 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 3: that hospital at the convention Center, and then the fraud 300 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 3: that I just described to you, just like having a baby, 301 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 3: continue for another nine months. Both the inmates themselves as 302 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 3: well as the all of their accomplices working with them 303 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 3: on the outside, access the online application system for unemployment compensation. 304 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 3: So using both their own social Security numbers and their birthdays, 305 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 3: as well as social Security numbers and birthdays of anybody 306 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 3: else they could get their They got the payments via 307 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 3: the prepaid debit cards, and they got mailed to whatever 308 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 3: address the prisoner listed on the application. 309 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 2: So you're sitting in you. 310 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 3: Know, some jail in Sacramento, and you've got a brother 311 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 3: in you know, in downtown Denver, somewhere in Rhino. So 312 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 3: use his address and he gets a debit card. Man, 313 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 3: he's just he's collected money like crazy. But there were 314 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 3: even instances where the investigators found that physical checks were 315 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 3: mailed to the prisons, and prison officials allowed those checks 316 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 3: to be deposited into the prisoner's commissary accounts. Nothing nothing 317 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 3: more complicated than cross referencing applicant names against the names 318 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 3: and social security numbers of just you know, let's let's 319 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 3: do a database check here. Let's cross reference the names 320 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 3: of all the applicants against all people who are currently incocerated. 321 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 3: That that would have instantly revealed and probably more likely 322 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 3: than not stop the fraud more than a billion dollars 323 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:22,400 Speaker 3: paid to prison inmates. So Minnesota, huh, you're just you're pikers. 324 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 3: Compared to California, And if you're curious, thirty five states, 325 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 3: at least according to the California Auditor, thirty five states 326 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 3: do cross match unemployment applications against state prison rosters. Twenty 327 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 3: eight of those thirty five states go one step further 328 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 3: and they cross match an applicant against county and local 329 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 3: jail registers. Why because those facilities house individuals who have 330 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 3: demonstrated an inclination toward breaking the law, and they got 331 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 3: a lot of time on their hands, they got nothing 332 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 3: else to do, and of course taxpayers provide them with computers, 333 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 3: and or they sneaked cell phones in, or somehow they've 334 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 3: got access to the interwebs. Now maddening, These state prisoners 335 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:17,959 Speaker 3: were only one aspect of this employment fraud nuisances administration 336 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 3: failed to show even a bare minimum level of competence. 337 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 3: Has been known since January twenty twenty one, when the 338 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: California State Auditor published a report on multiple levels of ineptitude, wasting, 339 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 3: fraud in the edd's handling of COVID era funding. They 340 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 3: put out an executive summary which resulted in more than 341 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 3: ten billion dollars in claims that they've determined to be fraudulent. 342 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,159 Speaker 3: They allowed claimants to collect benefits even though they were 343 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 3: using suspicious addresses. In one case, seventeen hundred claims from 344 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 3: one single address. The staff made at least a billion 345 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 3: dollars in payments to claimants despite the staff having concerns 346 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 3: about the legitimacy of their identities, and they just let 347 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 3: it go through. The Employment Division was unprepared to guard 348 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 3: against inmate frouduse. It didn't cross match all the incoming 349 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,680 Speaker 3: claims against the incarceration data paid out roughly eight hundred 350 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 3: and ten million dollars in benefits to more than forty 351 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 3: five thousand claimants who were in jail. That seventeen hundred 352 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 3: claims from one address one billion dollars to forty five 353 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 3: thousand inmates out of a prison population of one hundred 354 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 3: and twenty thousand. 355 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, Minnesota, you got some catching up to do. 356 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: Good morning, Michael and Dragon since excels electrical engineers can't 357 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: figure out how to keep power lines from arcing when 358 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: they touch each other, they had to offer it up 359 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: to kids six to twelve years old to see if 360 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: they can come up with creative ideas and then maybe 361 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: offer a generous one hundred dollars college scholarship to the 362 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: top five answers. 363 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 3: Or do you like some I don't know whether Apple 364 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 3: still does this, but they would pay bounties for bug detectors. 365 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 3: People out there that you know, are working on an 366 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 3: operating system in OS and they and they find a 367 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 3: bug and it's a serious bug. You know, Apple, Microsoft, Google, 368 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 3: others would would pay bounties for those things. So open 369 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 3: it up to your point, open it up. And I 370 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 3: hate say this about engineers, but I thought engineers could 371 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 3: fix anything. I thought engineers were a lot smarter than 372 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 3: lawyers and could just fix anything. Apparently not that will 373 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 3: allow them up. 374 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 2: Dragon Michael Brown at iHeartMedia dot com. Michael Brown at 375 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 2: iHeartMedia dot com. 376 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 3: That'll get the engineers off, pissed off. But why are 377 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 3: we worried about California anyway? Because it's California. Well, except 378 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 3: the problem is its federal money it's not like California 379 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 3: tax revenues were being impacted. Again, back to NBC, As 380 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 3: part of its temporary COVID nineteen procedures, the EDED instructed 381 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 3: the staff to automatically backdate new claims to the date 382 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 3: the claimant said they became unemployed. In other words, staff 383 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,199 Speaker 3: were told to enter an effective date for a claim 384 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 3: that could be weeks before the date the claimant actually filed, 385 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 3: allowing that individual to be paid benefits for those weeks 386 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 3: before anybody Nobody was looking. But in just case somebody 387 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 3: was looking, they might catch up with them. 388 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 2: NBC. 389 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 3: The Department Labor provided guidance instructing states to backdate pandemic 390 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,360 Speaker 3: related claims to the week in which claimants first became unemployed. 391 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:52,119 Speaker 3: According to EDD, it automatically backdated new claims to comply 392 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 3: with this guidance. EDD asserted that automatically backdating claims reduced 393 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,199 Speaker 3: the manual workload they would have otherwise being required to 394 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 3: pay claim. In other words, they didn't want to do 395 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 3: the work. Oh my gosh, I gotta manually enter something. No, 396 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 3: I don't get paid to do that. I mean, I 397 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 3: show up at nine o'clock, but by ten thirty it's 398 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 3: lunch time. I don't get back till two, and then 399 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 3: I gotta check my mail and do my Amazon order, 400 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 3: and by at that time it's four o'clock and I 401 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 3: gotta go home. I sincerely doubt that the Department of 402 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:30,919 Speaker 3: Labor Guidance took into consideration the fact that the California 403 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 3: EDD was accepting in paying on claims without any verification 404 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 3: process whatsoever. 405 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 2: Their decisions just poured more money into the. 406 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 3: Pockets of the fraudsters than they would have received based 407 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 3: solely on their initial application. 408 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 2: So do you get what I just said? 409 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 3: They actually got paid more than what was on their 410 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 3: basic initial application. As of late December of twenty twenty, 411 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 3: California's EDD had paid had more than two point two 412 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 3: million claims submitted during the pandemic for which it could 413 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 3: not confirm the identity of that claims. 414 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 2: That's twenty four percent, as a. 415 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 3: Full fourth of the nine and a half million dollars claims, 416 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 3: and that's from those filed from the time the Carezact 417 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 3: became law in March. It doesn't know, It simply does 418 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 3: not know how many legitimate or are legitimate, and how 419 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:31,160 Speaker 3: many are fraudument At least five hundred and thirty four 420 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 3: thousand of the claims were paid unemployment insurance benefits in 421 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 3: excess of their traditional dollar threshold for at least flagging 422 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 3: it and pursuing a criminal investigation of an impostor. Now, 423 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 3: remember this is a report that was issued in January 424 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty one, and we know from examples reported 425 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 3: by NBC that the prison inmates about the prison inmates, 426 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 3: that fraudulent claims continue to be paid all. 427 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 2: The way and Hill, what do you think happened? 428 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 3: Oh, the fans money ran out September four of twenty 429 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 3: twenty one. They simply ran out of money, Otherwise it 430 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 3: would have continued. That's why the ultimate amount of the 431 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 3: fraud is expected and estimated to exceed thirty billion dollars. 432 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 3: But the report, the initial report only identifies ten point. 433 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: Four billion because it only goes up to December of 434 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: twenty twenty. 435 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 3: Governor Newsom's administration has never revisited the auditor's report from 436 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 3: twenty twenty one. I can't find any post pandemic comprehensive 437 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 3: analysis or an audit by the California government in the 438 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 3: Governor's office or the auditor for that matter. I can't 439 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 3: find anything. Now, the Biden Justice Department investigated and prosecuted 440 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 3: individual fraudulent actors, schemes, the facts of many, and many 441 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 3: included fraud through the end of covid Era, but not 442 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 3: one single agency at the federal level has taken on 443 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 3: a comprehensive analysis of this fraud up through the end 444 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 3: of the federal funding on September four of twenty twenty one. 445 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 3: Now the statue limitations, yeah, just going to expire no 446 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 3: later than September of next year. So Trump Department of 447 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 3: Justice step up, Gavin Newsom step down.