Rep. Jim Lyons (R) Andover, Calls Welfare Benefits for Terrorists “Disgraceful”

FROM SATE REP JIM LYONS

LYONS3Boston, MA -“This is the most disgraceful example,” said Representative Jim Lyons, “of those who break the rules being subsidized by decent, hard-working, taxpaying families – families who follow the rules.”

Rep. Lyons, an Andover Republican, was referring to news reports exposing some of the taxpayer-funded benefits provided to the two brothers who terrorized the Boston Marathon. A spokesman for the Office of Health and Human Services conceded that older terrorist brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev had received welfare benefits, while welfare and other taxpayer-funded subsidies were provided to the Tsarnaev family over an undetermined period of time.

“We simply cannot allow the Patrick Administration to continue to ignore this kind of abuse,” said Lyons. “The crimes that these terrorists committed are beneath contempt. It’s hard to imagine the pain and loss suffered by so many families, because of these heinous actions.

“It’s a sickening fact,” Lyons added, “that decent, law-abiding taxpayers were forced to pay for the welfare that subsidized the perpetrators’ descent into radicalism and evil. We Republican representatives have been requesting information about the Administration’s out-of-control welfare-related spending for some time. Governor Patrick has been covering this data under a lid of secrecy.

“Now, under these tragic circumstances,” Lyons stressed, “we are beginning to see why the Administration has been so secretive. Let us hope we have reached a point where even this recalcitrant Administration will acknowledge the need for openness, transparency, and accountability.”

According to Lyons, a good initial step would be a full accounting of all taxpayer funds spent on behalf of the two terrorist brothers. This kind of information will prove highly useful to taxpayers and those legislators, who are working to end the widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded benefits.

“First, we have to recognize the costly misuse of precious tax resources,” noted Lyons. “Many of us have been working to reform state government. Unfortunately, the Patrick Administration has fought us every step of the way. It’s truly sad that it has taken such a heart-breaking tragedy to force the governor to acknowledge the problems.”

Lyons concluded by pledging to continue advocating on behalf of hard-working, taxpaying families. “Every time I set foot on Beacon Hill,” Lyons emphasized, “I have as my top priority: Making government responsive for those families who play by the rules.

“At tragic times like these,” Lyons said, “we all join together understanding the importance of faith, family, friends, and community. And we offer our prayers and wishes for the victims and their families and loved ones.”