November 25, 2023

Two C-SPAN callers faced backlash after they complained about people using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to buy steaks.

On Wednesday's edition of C-SPAN's Washington Journal program, two men accused food stamp recipients of fraud.

"I know a lot of people on food stamps, but when they go out, and they buy groceries, they're getting like steak and, you know, all this fish and expensive and name-brand foods," one man opined.

"I'm telling you there's so much fraud going on with SNAP," a second man complained. "I mean they're buying steaks and Red Bull drinks and the kids are crying."

A caller named Lonnie from North Carolina pushed back on the complaints.

"I've been hearing a lot of people talking about [fraud] in food stamps and people buying steaks," he explained. "These are jealous people."

Lonnie said that foods in his neighborhood had been "red-lined."

"Then they flood my neighborhood with all types of drugs, and I'm not a racist person, but [a] majority of [the] time, it's got to be a white man that has something to do with it," he argued. "Then they flood my neighborhood with weapons [and] easy access to my children."

Lonnie pointed to alleged crimes committed by Rep. George Santos (R-NY) and former President Donald Trump.

"They don't call and say, hey they [are] eating steaks while they are auditing people with food stamps, but they're so afraid of all of the people who got a lot of money," he insisted. "These [are] where we find a fraud."

"We got one in Congress right now for stealing unemployment benefits, and then you got one that's in the courts right now for fraudulent real estate," he added. "So, tell me why we don't go and get the IRS, and then we don't have to worry about those SNAP programs or food stamps?"

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