Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey
by James O'KeefeOn April 27, 2010, I got a job with the United States Census Bureau in New Jersey. With a hidden camera, I caught four Census supervisors encouraging enumerators to falsify information on their time sheets. Over the course of two days of training, I was paid for four hours of work I never did. I was told to take a 70 minute lunch break, was given an hour of travel time to drive 10 minutes, and was told to leave work at 3:30pm. I resigned prior to doing any data collection but confronted Census supervisors who assured me, “no one is going to be auditing that that level,” and “nobody is going to be questioning it except for you.” Another Census supervisor only said he’d adjust my pay after I gave him a letter recanting my hours.
As to whether this is an “isolated incident” or if there are more Census videos showing more waste, fraud, and corruption, we’ll let you take a wild guess.
America, real journalism has been dead for a long time now. With $1500 Hannah Giles and I were able to break a story that the New York Times couldn’t have broken no matter how many times they mortgaged their building. The government took our camera, so I bought another. The government put us in jail and deleted our tapes, but we got out and we’ll just make more. My travel was restricted to the state of New Jersey, so that’s where I got back to work. The media establishment is busy doing character assassinations on my friends and me but time and truth is on our side. Congress answered to our ACORN videos, now it will be up to the Department of Justice to explain why it edited out of a press release their admission we had no intent to tamper with Senator Landrieu’s phones. More importantly, it will be up to the Census Bureau to explain why their supervisors are systematically falsifying time sheets.
Exposing corruption requires standing up to power, because power hates sunlight. We should have known they would try and ruin the reputations of those who try and expose them. But in response, we are going to build an army of citizen investigators. There’s hundreds more where I came from. You have awakened a sleeping giant. And you can’t ruin us all. In fact, in the coming months you will see this army expanding into every state, every statehouse, every city council, every school board, and everywhere people are conspiring to keep themselves in power, practice favoritism, or line their pockets with tax dollars.
This isn’t a political movement. This is a movement to clean up society through transparency and accountability. Corruption, dishonesty, waste, and secrecy are anathema to all Americans. I happen to love liberty but I will happily expose Democrats and Republicans, public and private sector… anyone who deserves it.
These days, Americans know that people in backrooms are taking advantage of their power. And they’re fed up with it. We are sunlight. All we’re going to do is continue to expose the truth, and then it’s up to democracy to decide the verdict. Have faith in Americans armed with the facts.
Every dishonest politician, bureaucrat, and business in America is now on notice. You are being watched. Next time you try and take advantage of honest Americans, remember the person sitting in front of you just may have a camera or a microphone. America is watching. And if you’re cheating, stealing, or scamming, we will find you, we will film you, and we will make you an unwilling celebrity.
Veritas!
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851 Comments
Great article, James. Keep up the good works. Where can I sign up? I'm almost 60 but am willing to do whatever I can to expose the corruption and lies of this government.
Perhaps we can plug the hole in the Gulf with dishonest Census supervisors and managers. BTW — it shows how "in the know" these people are. James applies for a job without disguise, using his real name — and they have no idea who he is!
Seriously, from everything I've heard about the total incompetence of the people running the census, you could have probably walked in, introduced yourself as James O'Keefe from the ACORN and Mary Landrieu scandals, there to investigate corruption, abuse, waste, and illegal behavior by the Census Bureau and their employees…Oh wait…they helped you out anyway.
This is the epitome of Government Waste, Fraud, and Abuse™, not to mention stupidity.
And to think, some of us have the privilege of having a job in order to pay taxes that ultimately pay for this bullshit.
It's too bad you left before data collection–I'd love to know if they're tweaking race data for households that didn't supply that information.
A Census worker rang my doorbell at my second apartment (I work and live in different states) ten times in half an hour one evening two days after talking to me–I told her I had already been counted at the address where I vote and file my taxes, but that wasn't good enough, she wanted my phone number (which she never got). What a waste.
MMMmmmm coffee and a O'keefe Sting story. I can't wait to see how media matters and the Trolls spin this one.
Its like shooting fish in a barrel. Bravo James! Nothin but love for ya, Nuthin but love…
Great article! Keep up the good work, James.
I can't believe they didn't catch on to who you were. Goes to show that anyone can be a census taker. No wonder we've seen reports of violence and theft where census employees are involved.
Are you effing kidding me??!! There is NO CONCERN about STEALING tax dollars for work that was not done!?? This is not funny, this is not a joke!!! This is FRAUD!!!
ANYTHING with the 'governments' stamp on it (with the exception of the Rank and File Military) is CORRUPT. I have lost hope that we will ever get our Country back on track.Thank you for trying Mr.Okeefe.
If this even makes the news,I'm sure they will come out and say oh its just one supervisor just like they did with Acorn and all will go back to normal,screwing the American Public!
And this was a direct government organization. Can you just imagine all the little para-government grant-receiving little gangs that are beneath the radar, doing the same thing?
I can because I worked for one that is supposedly above reproach, doing a lot of good (and they are), but the minute an employee figures out how to hold work the system, they pull in their buddies and away we go with more fraud and abuse of taxpayer money.
3 words come to mind: fraud, waste and abuse.
Census workers came around to my home a number of times. I managed to avoid them for most of the month, but one came strolling by while I was under my car, doing an oil change. I thought to myself, "Oh great. Here it goes," as I watched her feet walk up my driveway, framed by the pavement, tires, and underbody.
She apologized for disturbing me while I was working, and said she could ask me her questions while I continued to work. I asked her to simply leave the form, for me to review, and she said she was not permitted to do that. I then advised her of the number of people living in my home, and told her that was the only information I would share, having satisfied the Constitutional requirement for enumeration. We argued Constitutional views briefly, and I even shared with her my opinion that any information, exclusive of enumeration, is usually used for objectionable purposes, such as racial gerrymandering. Her reply to this was astonishing: she said the "racial question" was voluntary, and she advised people who object to answering it say something like "Martian." I pointed out that she was advising people to lie to the census. She nodded, and started to look a little uncomfortable.
She asked about my age, my name, and my homeowner status. I repeated my answer to the enumeration question. She then advised me that a census worker, escorted by a marshal, would be around within the next few days.
Hasn't happened yet.
What are the census workers really doing for Obama? Find out in this podcast: http://www.cashbeechcroft.podomatic.com
From a rising superstar in the TEA PARTY movement.
Americans plus a couple of cameras = Accountability. I like it! Start at the local level.
James, you are an American Hero! Keep up the outstanding reporting! It's so reassuring to have news brought by a source that we can trust!!!!!
another prime example of exactly why the gov should never run any kind of program. Disgusting.
James I don't like your employee Id Number out there could lead to some Idenity theft problems better invest in one of those services. That asaid I worked for the census in 90 and 2000. What troubled me was systematic streaching of hours busy work by misinterpreting guidelines. One example Census guidelines were to review correct and make enumerator field maps more legible doing all work in pencil, then make three copies. That was interpreted by a supervisor as make three Photocopies of blanks then redraw and label all field notes in pencil onto the photocopied blank maps. When i complained to a supervisor I was told my job was to follow my supervisors interpretation when I explained it to that supervisors supervisor he said he would look into it. Three days later I was back and so were the starving artist directions I tendered my resignation.
Stephanoupoulos, kill the messenger, forget the message.
Census worker came to the door while I am standing there with my dinner plate in my hand when I answered the door (yes I sent in the form). She asked how many in the house and I told her, as she started flippnig the paper to the demographics I said.
"Thank you that is all I am required by law to answer. Have a nice day"
"But sir can I have your name?"
"Nope, good bye."
Closed the door and went back to eating my dinner….. The inlaws visiting from the Northeast just had looks of shock on their faces. Keep up the good work!
O M G.
George Stephan-Nobody seems more HUNG-UP on O'Keefe's intention to possibly break the law than he is about CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT???
This ABC interview proves to everyone that Stephan-Nobody is a total DOUCHE. He was sapping-up all the interview time to try to cast James in a bad light — even bringing-up Nose-pickin' Maxie B's false racism charge!
Thank God, Andrew stepped in and slapped-down Georgie-boy's repeated baiting — trying to paint O'Keefe as a racist.
W T F is WRONG with Stephan-Nobody — is he always this much of a jackass?
Meanwhile, wounded American soldiers are billed for equipment left behind.
I guess o must take care of the important soldiers.
LOL thank you James
Darn James! Even on probation you come out swinging….thumbs up dude!
Jesus. I am so disgusted by this I think I'm gonna puke. Multiply this theft by every census worker every day. I'm betting it adds up in the 10's of millions of dollars. How do these people sleep at night? Were they raised by wolves or what? This is exactly what I'm talking about when I say that nobody does their damned job anymore. This is also why I have zero respect for government employees. It just keeps getting worse every year. The inmates are definitely running the asylum. It's all falling apart and no one even seems to care. I think we're coming to an end as a country and as a species.
It's no longer difficult to invision a dictatorship govenment, here in the U.S.A, not in some third world country.
Open borders will alleviate the need for the census and the word election will only be used in a dictionary.
Sat down this morning, and started to read the BIG's. I have a tasty hot cup of coffee…and popcorn for breakfast. Mmmm…I never realized how well they all go together.
Great article, James, and good job. Something you might think about doing, is getting together with census workers who have gone through all of the training, and have done the work. There are several who have told their stories on Michelle Malkin's website. Although it may be doubtful that they have corroborating evidence, they might make an interesting addition to the total.
It's destructive to the Liberal narrative. Hence, Stephanopolous' hysterical wailing.
Good work, James. John Crudele at the NY Post also is exposing this fraud. Untold millions of dollars of our money is being wasted. Census workers sitting around doing nothing or visiting the same home three times to count people already counted, it doesn't matter. It's all disgusting.
You go boy…The left wing media just will no longer do the job so you do it…Just watch your back the frothing mouths of the left are going to attack,lie and scream about it.
Great job, James. No surprise, but doubly infuriating in this economic climate. They're the government and they're here to waste our money.
Okay. Question for O'Keefe and the BIG sites.
What is the equipment used so that we may participate and provide leads/stories ourselves, and maybe become BIG stringers?
Where do we start? How much does it cost? Where is it illegal to record, etc?
Any blogs/websites to point to that show this information?
"I'm betting it adds up in the 10's of millions of dollars." Nope. Billion$.
it will be interesting to see the Dems and their fellow travelers in the media, not to mention the predictable trolls, try to defend Waste, Fraud & Corruption as if it were Truth, Justice & The American Way…
Well done James! Keep it up, you will soon be number one on the statist enemies list…the hive will be alarmed!
I sent my census in on time and thought I was done. Then, I got a letter telling me they had more questions like who is employed at your house. We didn't answer the door the first two times the census worker came by. A letter came via FEDEX. FEDEX? It said they going to continue to knock on our door. The next time they knocked my wife answered the door and told him we didn't want to answer anymore questions. The census worker said he wouldn't knock on our door again, but we might see his car parked on our street. What? Another FEDEX letter showed up. It said they understood we didn't want to answer any more questions, but they were going to send a different census worker to ask the questions.
I like O'keefe's attitude. It reminds me of the Journalists in the sixties and seventies. Too bad the lame stream media doesn't have at last on journalist on staff. It's too bad that the lame stream media is nothing more than opeds for the Democrats and the Progressives. Keep up the great work, James.
Name an Obama program that was not a boondoggle.
Eric Holder,…………..the guy we are paying to do this sort of thing announced that,……..
he is going after,……… "INTERNATIONAL "………bribing practices.
James,……….you got your work cut out for you lad.
just don't look for any Pulitzer coming your way.
Now just imagine how bad this would be if we had let barry and his syndicate count us. Oh now wait a minute his syndicate is counting us.
What a waste of money because after Nov. the census will be stopped.
Barry is determined to start a constitutional crisis.
But the scariest part is he knows he loses in Nov. Does anyone here think that the poser intends on allowing us to remove his power. THINK AGAIN.
It is looking more and more like the tree of liberty will be watered. God please help us and bless us.
They're on sale!
Where do I sign up? I'm a citizen Judge of elections and I wish to show that illegal aliens and legal aliens aren't just illegally taking federal housing dollars, welfare, and other benefits, but some are voting as well.
At least we know Aunt Onyanga did so, and was never exposed (not even checked) for her violation of federal election law by donating to Obama's campaign (despite it getting exposure in the press, never in the court.)
Please, please keep following justice. Deny justice neither to republicans nor democrats.
Oh, and was this census worker fired yet?
Lefties like this attitude too, but only when it's driven by a desire to misinform and misdirect, and when the language is peppered with profane references to perverse sexual practices (ala Tea Partiers), and soap dropping jokes regarding Mr. O'Keefe.
His many vacations?
No, wait. He's doing that on our dime, too…
"Can you just imagine all the little para-government grant-receiving little gangs that are beneath the radar, doing the same thing?"
Not even just UNDER the radar. Just as a refresher, remember Inspector General Gerald Walpin who obama had removed (illegally) because he was investigating the misuse of federal grants by a nonprofit education group headed by Mayor Kevin Johnson (obama supporter)? That's just how the regime in Washington does business.
These types of stories from census workers are becoming commonplace. Being fired and rehired 4-5 times in a month, so the "G" can count more jobs "created." Falsified time sheets, falsified work records–even falsified data; to influence the amount of public dollars alotted to certain demographics… Imagine if you will, all of the thousands of census supervisors who are currently gaming the system. Imagine the hundreds of millions of your dollars being frittered away–stolen from you. Add to that more hundreds of millions in misappropriated (stolen) funds that will be directed by fraudulent numbers. Imagine all of this theft and graft and blatantly illegal activity being done to take more of your money. Now imagine these same people administering your health care. Scared yet?
James, you are the MAN!!
That's the best part of the whole thing!
The entire census fiasco seems to be set up as a sort of 'soft' stimulous package… Putting $$ back into the economy…
Also, it is there to falsley boost employment numbers too. It's a two-fold project for the government.
Someday too much fraud, waste and abuse cannot sustain a broken society. Time for young people to take back their country and VOTE OUT all these corrupt politicians.
Isn't is amazing how "generous" bureaucrats are with taxpayer money?
I'm afraid I can't support you on this one Mr. O'Keefe, this is too petty. Yeah, when you multiply it out over lots of workers its a lot of money, but not really compared to the federal budget. This is very temporary work and its best not to be so strict on the people that do it. ACORN was a big deal, but frankly this isn't. I hope you don't get these people fired over this, its just too much ado over very little.
THe problem is they're given a lump of cash to get the census done… more cash than they need. They're unaccountable and unrewarded for being fiscally responsible (fannie… freddie…). They need to be given a small budget and if they need more cash they need to justify it. Oh, and just ask for number of residents… on a simple post card size paper.
It's simply an income redistribution scheme. $18.75/hr? Who do you know that makes that kind of change in today's economy for not doing any real work? Other than Gov't workers that is.
The sad thing is that this goes on at all levels. I worked for the Harris County (Houston, TX) during the summer while in college. The SOP was work 4 hours while clocked in for 8. When supervior's went their way (who knows where these guys went and what they did) the team leaders told us to stop and out came the playing cards for the rest of the day. I asked about it several times and was told to keep my mouth shut which I did. I wish now that I hadn't but I really needed the gig. No excuse mind you, but those are the facts.
Sorry James. I wussed, you didn't.
Great job!
Prediction… This will make little waves in the political sphere… they will dismiss this and continue encouraging the activity.
[...] video stings in New Jersey by a familiar face: Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey – Big Government __________________ Taxed Enough [...]
How much stealing from the public coffers is okay?
You could plug that hole in minute with obaMao's ego.
I hear on Fox this morning that our national debt went up 86 billion in just five or six days.
The reminder card that the census sent out cost around 50 million bucks……what a waste!
[...] » Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey – Big Government [...]
[...] » Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey – Big Government [...]
Does James get to count this as part of his 100 hours of community service based on his guilty plea?
In a perfect world this wouldn't happen, but….
When I see Congress spending billions on things that are total fraud and/or harmful to the country (Global Warming Research, Cash for Clunkers, supporting Hamas with our money, the list goes on forever) I just don't see little disparities like this as a great problem.
I know maybe you need to start off slow after a setback, but this is just setting your sights too low.
How soon before we collapse under our own debt? Any guesses?
We need a complete house cleaning. Fire them ALL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UtmTALMkU4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8jEd-6Bt6c
Way to go James…add, every court/judge should be held accountable too. Especially the one's legislating from the bench, and intentionally obfuscating evidence!
/
WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE BARRY?
There's many job openings for True Investigative Reporting, Thank You James! Someone ought to "check out" the Judge that sentenced James O'Keefe. I bet he's no saint either.
I'll bet that many of the ACORN workers were made Supervisors in the Census Count, by the Oily-Obama Administrations.
James…
You, sir, are my hero!!
How is it that Hong Kong manages quite well with a 15% FLAT TAX on corporate or individual income. It was 17% but due to continual surpluses they REDUCED it! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they practice real capitalism better than we do?
We are so far in the wrong direction I fear for the future of my children in this great country of ours. But when young people like you become activists for DOING THE RIGHT THING, that gives me hope once again.
Keep up your amazing work!!
"Exposing corruption requires standing up to power, because power hates sunlight." – - Horas non numero nisi serenas.
Thanks, I just signed up.
This is nothing new. Back in the 70s, I had friends who were on Jimmy Carter's VISTA program payroll (Volunteers In Service To America) who would be charged with things like pulling weeds and putting up storm windows for the elderly, and so on. Every one of these people were slackers, and every one lied about their time. Some would turn in time sheets for entire weeks not worked. No one ever checked. They all joked that it was 'free money'. And that's in one little town in Idaho. You do the math.
I sent this link and emails to all of my NJ Representatives .
I am friendly with two of them and hope to get a on the record reply.
Just a funny census story here-
My neighbor is an EMS Tech in Leland & Navassa, NC.
A census worker came to both our homes last week and he wasn't home. When I told him they were at his house, he became agitated over the whole census mess but then stopped to tell me this hilarious story.
After all the reports about felons and other low lifes hired by the census bureau, one little old lady clearly wasn't having any.
My EMS neighbor was called to a home where a 62 year old disabled senior citizen, confined to a motorized chair lives. It seems she didn't answer her door when a census worker arrived and when he got no answer, her opened her front door and entered her home.
Well, the next thing he knew she threw a huge pot of boiling water at him, hit him repeatedly with a heavy skillet and basically beat the living crap out of him! All this while still in her chair!
She was treated for heart palpitations and the census worker was arrested after being treated for severe burns on his face and arms as well as multiple contusions on his head and other body parts….
All I can say is that she is my kind of gal!
I think you're onto something… A website where people can place a marker on the day/month when we default.
That article made my day! Keep it up…corruption cannot hide forever!! Keep the sunlight on them James!!
Does anyone think that this is only happening at census offices? This same thing happens in all departments and all level of government. We all who have dealt with government, local, state and federal, could list stories one after another of this same type of thing happening. So,they pass a health care law and tell us that THEY will root out waste and fraud. Yeah, right. Who will? These same mid level managers? Politically appointed upper level people? Does anyone think that O'Keefe's letter went anywhere but the trash?
If you are tired of being lied to, kick them out in November, but it doesn't stop there. Take a meat cleaver (metaphorically of course) to the bureaucracy next or nothing will change.
Part 1: I am currently a crew leader for the census bureau. I can only speak of my own personal expleriences, so here goes nothing. I have worked for two different 2010 census operations under two different supervisors. I make less than any of the hourly wages that I have seen reported in the media. I have never been instructed to turn in more hours or mileage than I actually worked or drove. I never instruct my enumerators to do that either.
Part 2: My supervisor and I are very diligent in our efforts to make sure all hours and mileage reported are correct and not excessive. I even question enumerators when their hours or mileage seem excessive for the area they are working and number of completed cases they are turning in. More often than not, I am required to work more hours than I am allowed to report. When my surpervisor requested permission for more overtime for the crew leaders, the local office said absolutely not. We work very hard to make sure each questionaire is completed accurately and honestly. On my crew, if there were to be any suspicion of an enumerator falsifying information, I would investigate and take necessary steps to correct the issue before it was turned in to my supervisor. This would include immediate termination of the enumerator, and it helps keep costs down by preventing re-enumeration of all that enumerator's cases. So far, this has not been necessary.
James,
Great video. Excellent illustration of the waste and "crony" corruption inherent in big gov. programs.
Now, I noticed you were throwing money off the ferris wheel at the end of the video there,
Be careful they might try to arrest you for littering!!
Part 3: With all of that being said, I know my attitude and actions are not the norm. We receive extreme pressure to produce from people who are sitting in offices and who have probably never experienced real life census field work. It is very apparent they have know clue what is really going on or the dangers enumerators face by knocking on strangers' doors. Training materials state that no more than three personal visits to housing units may be made to obtain an interview, yet regional census office employees require us to keep sending enumerators out many more times before they will accept a questionaire that is of an obviously vacant housing unit. They even require that three visits to be made before an enumerator can speak with a proxy to verify that a housing unit is either not present or non-residential and should be deleted from future maps.
Part 4: This is a total waste of taxpayer dollars in my opinion. I have worked very hard, and the extra income has helped my family. However, I cannot wait until this operation is complete. I will not sign up to be considered for future operations. I know the census needs more honest, caring people like my supervisors and me working for them, but the stress and aggrivation is not worth the money. I believe that people with no conscious or pride in doing things properly can handle this job. My eyes have been opened by my experiences with the census bureau.
Why wouldn't he? What he does is a huge service to our community called the USA.
When you are done with the census experience might I suggest that you write an article about yor experiences and see if newspapers or the Big sites will publish it.
This is a government employee telling another government employee to LIE, CHEAT and STEAL. Not only should they be fired their names should be all over the news. They are stealing money(guess that is alright), abusing position of power(no problem with it there , HUH), and Lying on government documents(just more liars in government for you rigth?) These people should not be employee of the government, meanwhile our soldiers are charged for the gear lost during combat! Bueracrats are the worse beast inside this government, nothing but a waste of flesh and money. Steal from a company go to jail, steal from the government as a citizen go to jail, steal from the government in the government get promoted!
That's good to hear! Maybe it's just NJ… I wish.
So should these people be prescuted to the fullest extent of the law? They are advicating Lying on time cards, stealing public funds, cheating the tax payers out of a good days work.
[...] » Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey – Big Government. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Undercover Census Fraud Investigation – New Jersey – [...]
Your new video was worth the wait. Great work! Time mag should give you Man of the Year award. lol
I doubt it. Despite it's enormity, there's no substance, just incorrect assumptions.
If you are required to work more hours than you are allowed to report, that is also illegal.
Looking forward to more information.
Veritas, indeed. The Progressives know we are on to them.
Lindsey Lohan?
I wish you would have stuck with it longer. A 70 min lunch break and overpaying you 4 hrs for 2 days work is not going to get many people riled up. If you would have stuck with it, you could have had a great deal more material. For a while, Michelle Malkin was posting letters from census workers that showed that the project was filled with gross incompetence, waste, fraud, and abuse. It would have been great to get more of that stuff on tape.
Agreed, the bloated beached whale of government is just laying there for the taking.
No disrespect meant towards bloated, beached whales.
It's not like we weren't warned.
Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A republic, if you can keep it."
Seriously? You see government corruption at the lowest levels and all you can do is hate on James?
That's the beauty of government waste and fraud, there's a never ending stream of examples.
The biggest scandal seems to be that the Census Bureau hired a criminal. Don't they do background checks?
That's why as much of government as possible needs to be privatized. When the supervisors pay check depends upon the system working as efficiently as possible, you have accountability.
That's what the public sector lacks. Incentives to work more efficiently.
I was thinking along the lines of "screw the taxpayer."
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