WATCH: Senator Susan Collins Slams Julie Su For Her Role in California’s Massive Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Julie Su, Joe Biden’s nominee for deputy secretary of the Department of Labor, was eviscerated by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) during her Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday for taking actions that resulted in the most catastrophic fraud on California taxpayers in the state’s history.

Su currently runs California’s Department of Labor, which recently admitted to paying out $11 billion in fraudulent jobless claims since the pandemic began in March 2020. That number could climb as high as $31 billion.

ABC 7: “In an EDD conference call, Julie Su, secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency said, ‘Of the 114 billion dollars in unemployment paid by California since March, approximately 10% has been confirmed as fraudulent. An additional 17% of the paid claims have been identified as potentially fraudulent.’”

A California state auditor warned the Department of Labor in March 2019 to stop sending out letters with social security numbers printed on them as the letters became prime targets for criminals. The Department, led by Su, did not stop and ultimately sent over 38 million pieces of mail with social security numbers on them with many of those letters being sent to the wrong recipient.

ABC 30: “The Employment Development Department continued mailing forms without concealing sensitive information despite being told a year ago to stop the practice, California Auditor Elaine Howle said in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom…

“…The surge in unemployment claims since spring, when the COVID-19 outbreak accelerated and more people lost work, ‘has further revealed the dangers of EDD’s practices,’ Howle wrote.”

Worse of all, Californians who actually needed unemployment benefits were left waiting in line while state officials examined potentially fraudulent cases.

KCRA: “William Pranskat said he has been struggling to make ends meet throughout the pandemic because of constant delays receiving his unemployment benefits.

“‘That’s not fair. I was behind on my rent because of this, still am,’ Pranskat said. ‘My youngest son is going to go without Christmas.’”

Fox 5: “Malabanan said she’s one of about 1.4 million Californians whose claims were suspended at the new year while the state sorts of fraud. That means she won’t be able to receive any payments until the state can verify her identity.

“‘I’m nervous in the fact that I’m still a college student’ she said. ‘I have debts to pay, too, and I have car loan and stuff like that.’”

Bottom line: It’s unconscionable that Joe Biden would try to give Julie Su a promotion despite having full knowledge of how badly she failed in her current job.