CNN: Michigan Lottery winner still receiving public aid

[MattFancy]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/07/us/mic...Top+Stories%29

Amanda Clayton hit it big playing the Michigan Lottery. Like many winners, she used her $1 million prize to buy a new house.

But the Lincoln Park, Michigan, resident is receiving money in another form -- $200 a month in state food assistance, according to CNN Detroit affiliate WDIV.
"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't, I thought, maybe, it was OK because I'm not working," Clayton, 24, told WDIV when it asked whether it was appropriate for her to receive the money.

Now a state lawmaker is trying to stop such assistance, which is not illegal. He says the food assistance should not go to those who have found riches through the lottery.
"We need to continue to protect our taxpayers' dollars ... and taxpayer dollars should be going to those who really do need assistance," Michigan Rep. Dale Zorn of Ida Township told HLN's Vinnie Politan on Wednesday.

She said she should still get it because she has no job, bills, and 2 houses??? Go get a job or sell one of your houses. People are so lazy. And I'm a liberal.

[SnyderShrugged]

They had the story on our local news this morning too. Even my young children were appalled by her attitude. Our society has become so pathetic.

[Burgold]

Oy vey

The epitome of doesn't get it.

[twa]

but she does get it

[ixcuincle]

Yeah I saw this previewed on Starting Point on CNN

Interesting

[GhostofSparta]

Asked if she had the right to the public assistance money, Clayton answered, "I kind of do. I have no income, and I have bills to pay. I have two houses."

[Bang]

She should be fined the amount the collected starting the day she hit the lottery.
And then there should be a penalty on top of that.
AND she should never be eligible for public assistance again.

~Bang

[Rocky21]

I saw her interviewed on TV yesterday and I mean to tell you she is D-U-M Dum.

[Maximus71]

System is broke, nothing you can do abou tit unless there are major changes! She couldnt get a loan since she didnt have a job yet buys a house cash? WTF lottery is blind, maily stupid people win it.

[DjTj]

She should be fined the amount the collected starting the day she hit the lottery.
And then there should be a penalty on top of that.
AND she should never be eligible for public assistance again.

~Bang

The Michigan state government agrees:

Her story made headlines, and on Thursday, the state's Department of Human Services announced that she is no longer getting the benefits.

According to Michigan law, welfare recipients must report any changes in assets or income to the agency within 10 days.

The department "relies on clients being forthcoming about their actual financial status. If they are not, and continue to accept benefits, they may face criminal investigation and be required to pay back those benefits," Director Maura Corrigan said in a statement.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/07/us/mic...ner/index.html

[capcrunch98]

Numerous reports have come out that more than half of all lottery winners are bankrupt within 5 years (which is crazy when you think about it). I have no doubt this woman will be one of them.

[bcl05]

The lottery is basically a tax on people who can't do math. There should be no surprise that the winners really turn out to be losers.

[sideshow24]

System is broke, nothing you can do abou tit unless there are major changes! She couldnt get a loan since she didnt have a job yet buys a house cash? WTF lottery is blind, maily stupid people win it.

This made me laugh!

[DCranon21]

So she hit the lottery for a million dollars, so she received roughly 850K after taxes hit. If she plays this right, she could live off the interest alone in a couple of years. I can't believe she is this dumb.

[GibbsFactor]

Numerous reports have come out that more than half of all lottery winners are bankrupt within 5 years (which is crazy when you think about it). I have no doubt this woman will be one of them.

New money. The half that go broke fail to get a financial planner.

The first thing I do is get a planner to hook me with some protection. The second if buy a plane and have it go down over the Atlantic.