While Schumer Attacks Trump’s “Vanity Ballroom” Today on the Senate Floor, New York Wastes Billions on Medicaid Fraud
By Alec Charles Reynolds Executive Director National American Citizen Association
Today, May 12, 2026, on the Senate floor, Senator Chuck Schumer stood up and railed against a Republican bill that included $1 billion for security around President Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. He called it a “gilded ballroom,” a “vanity ballroom,” and a “gaudy ballroom.” He accused Republicans of prioritizing “Trump’s ego” over working families struggling with inflation.
Schumer vowed Democrats would fight the bill “with every tool we have.”
As the old country song says, “If you mind your own business, you’ll stay busy all the time.” Maybe it’s time Senator Schumer took that advice and started cleaning up his own house first — because the massive fraud and waste happening right in his home state of New York is far more outrageous than any ballroom.
The Real Numbers in New York
While Schumer attacks a ballroom today, New York State is burning through $124 billion per year on Medicaid — one of the largest and most troubled programs in the entire country.
Recent investigations have uncovered staggering levels of fraud:
• CMS Investigation (March 2026): Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz sent a formal letter to Governor Kathy Hochul demanding answers on fraud, waste, and abuse within 30 days — or risk losing federal payments. They flagged extreme overbilling in personal care services ($44.6 billion from 2023–2025) and a 65% jump in home health aide spending with far less growth in actual beneficiaries.
• Brooklyn Adult Day Care Scam: In January 2026, a Brooklyn ring pleaded guilty to a $68 million fraud scheme.
• Non-Medical Transportation Fraud: Potential $196 million in fraudulent claims.
• State Comptroller Audit: Over $2.6 billion improperly paid to people who do not even live in New York.
• Enrollment Fraud: Roughly 8.5 million people are enrolled in New York Medicaid, but only about 5.5 million are actually eligible — meaning up to 3 million ineligible individuals may be on the rolls.
This is happening in Senator Schumer’s home state while he lectures the rest of the country about “vanity projects.”
The Hypocrisy Is Staggering
Schumer wants you to believe the real problem is a ballroom.
The real problem is a system that protects billions in fraud and waste while attacking any spending that doesn’t serve the political class.
New York taxpayers — and American taxpayers — are footing the bill for both.
The More You Know
Government waste and fraud are not partisan issues — they are accountability issues. When elected officials like Senator Schumer focus on political theater instead of cleaning up the massive fraud in their own states, they betray the very people they claim to represent. Real leadership means protecting taxpayer dollars first, not scoring points on the Senate floor.
At the National American Citizen Association, we believe in radical transparency. That’s why we’re building tools to track federal and state spending in real time.
America First. Constitution Only.
We must secure their tomorrow — one generation at a time.
Call to Action
Join the movement and help us expose waste and fight for real accountability:
→ Register now at nacagroup.org/register