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NYC Fireman Collecting $95,000 Disability Pension Caught Working Fire & Rescue at NASCAR Track

Mar. 26, 2012 1:11pm Buck Sexton

Firefighters are revered as heroes for their willingness to run into flaming buildings to save people, but just what qualifies New York City’s firemen for generous lifetime disability pensions?

NYC Fireman on Disability Pension Now Fights NASCAR Flames

(Credit: Lou Angeli via NY Post)

That’s the question some are asking after a Fire Department of New York (FDNY) retiree who receives extra pay for his disability has turned up battling flames at a NASCAR speedway.

The New York Post has more:

“Cliff Stabner, a 55-year-old city firefighter who retired in 2003 with a three-quarter disability pension of $95,000 annually, has surfaced as a member of the fire rescue team responding to crashes at Dover International Speedway in Delaware. The Post has obtained photos of Stabner wearing an orange jumpsuit and a helmet and standing next to a rescue vehicle at Dover’s “Monster Mile’’ track. Stabner also is a fire captain in his quaint new hometown of Lewes, Del.”

At least one person– the whistleblower who brought Stabner’s case to the Post’s attention– thinks there is something rotten going on.

“If you have a disability pension, why are you fighting fires and doing NASCAR?” said the whistleblower, who requested anonymity from the NY Post.

“We as citizens are paying for the higher disability pensions. It drives me crazy. How is it OK? It doesn’t make any sense,” the whistleblower added.

Apparently, this situation of “disabled” firefighters going on to very active lives in retirement is nothing new. In fact, as the Post point out:

“About three-quarters of FDNY firefighters retired with disability pensions in recent years, up from 50 percent before 9/11. The FDNY pension fund paid out $588 million for disability pensions last year, more than double the figure from a decade ago.”

When confronted by reporters, Stabner defended his position as a matter of law to the Post.

“Is that illegal? There are laws? Is that against the pension system? Is it against the law?”

Stabner was a member of FDNY Fire Rescue 3 in the Bronx, which lost seven members on 9/11.

“It’s 10 years later. I’m banged up from my life physically and psychologically,’’ he said. “I have serious medical issues.”

Stabner did not offer any specifics about his medical condition to reporters.

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Comments (162)

capitalismrocks
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:49pm
My father was FDNY….. and I have ZERO sympathy for this scam artist!!!! He needs to be brought up of disability fraud, have to repay ALL of the money back and receive some kind of partial penalty against him or jailtime, this is utter BS beyond belief… I have no sympathy for this kind of theft.

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- Blackhawk1
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:14pm
  Sadly this is what Unionization breeds.Get rid of ALL public sector unions and you would get rid of most fraud.
  
  Report this comment
- woebegone
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 4:03pm
  Right on Blackhawk. In the stealth socialist society we live in the Unions personify: “Some pigs are better than others” (Animal Farm) all the time deriding the tax payers. Seventy-FIve Percent disability!!!
  
  Report this comment
- mikem1969
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 5:41pm
  Got to love those unions, get a fake disibility, collect a pension, and keep on doing what you do. ALL PUBLIC UNIONS MUST GO.
  
  Report this comment
- Bum thrower
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 5:47pm
  Thank the AFSE, SEIU, and other public sector unions………how’s that “hope and change” working out for you? Ok if you are a leftist union goon.
  
  Report this comment
- Ruler4You
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 7:08pm
  Is that against union rules?
  
  Report this comment
- Pokerjoe
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 7:12pm
  Yes he should be in jail.
  
  Report this comment
- gsp9993
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 7:49pm
  Take away his pension, put him back to work and make him repay all the money he stole.
  
  Report this comment
- TROONORTH
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 8:15pm
  I believe the term “fraud” applies and the appropriate punishment ( which is time in stir) should also apply. This low-life and too many like him are giving a bunch of damned fine guys a very bad and undeserved name. Nail him.
  
  Report this comment
- Acorn Hunter
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 9:27pm
  mikem1969, How do you know it’s fake?
  
  Report this comment
- fdmike
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 9:31pm
  can everyone please pledge to stop saying, “how’s that hope and change working out for you?” The first couple of times it was witty and sarcastically amusing. Now it is insanely annoying. We get it. He sucks. He’s terrible. Can’t wait for November. Now let’s put our collective heads together and come up with a new dig.
  
  Report this comment
- 1947
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 11:05pm
  Why are you upset NY unions do this the time
  
  Report this comment
- mikem1969
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 11:38pm
  gee acorn hunter, like most people that fake injuries or disabilaties, he’s collecting a check while working in a way that a disability should keep him from working. Do the math instead of asking no brainer questions.
  
  Report this comment
- Free_Thinker
  Posted on March 27, 2012 at 2:12am
  Not all fire departments are like NYFD and not all firefighters are like this jerk.
  
  Report this comment
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on March 27, 2012 at 10:35am
  Reeelax…he’s a democrat-libb…no story, here(Yah…Right!!!!).
  
  Report this comment
- Acorn Hunter
  Posted on April 16, 2012 at 8:55pm
  Mikem1969, that’s your definition? He’s not working in a way that should keep him from collecting a check. You know nothing about the job and it’s physical requirements. You think that because a guy is disabled he can’t do anything at all? Do you even understand what a disability is? I’m a retired disabled firefighter. This guy, myself, and the guy before me who lost the use of his knee risked our lives and sacrificed to save people for years including 9/11 and this is the thanks we get? No matter what happens to someone, the procedure is a long and intricate. All you people, who make it so firefighters and police officers will never have a dull working day or a job for years to come are off base here and so is the writer.
  
  Report this comment
bigmel754
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:43pm
I’m sure you would find that this is not a rare case; much more of this goes on than the public knows. It a lot of cases they get food stamps, too! We had a local guy boost of spending his extra disability ($2500@ month) at the casinos.

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- oneshiner
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:23pm
  Yup! This seems to go on all the time. A good scam. We had a carpenter working for us about 25 yrs. ago, who went on to start building homes on his own. We learned he was a smoke-disabled fireman from another state and obviously was well enough to work and draw his pension too. Just happened to see him several years ago and he looked well enough to me. If they every looked into the scams against all of us, I bet all told, it would be more than 45% scamming and taking illegal checks, food, medical, etc.
  
  Report this comment
countryfirst
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:39pm
Why are city’s going broke? If you become a civil servant at 20 years of age work honorably for 25 years ,then pull full pension for 30+ years. This is my brother in-law, cash on hand of over $ 250,000.00, owns 3 houses, land. And my sister in law is pulling (his wife) SS disability since she was 40 years old. I am a firm believer in means testing, not regarding his pension but her getting SS when he has the ability to pay for her care.

Entitlement mentality, (we are becoming surrounded by it)

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- taxpro4u03
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 8:40pm
  It’s the public servant ‘way.’ Their ‘leaders’ (you know — your federal, state and local politicians) showed them HOW — since they outsourced most of the ‘productive’ jobs — all that’s left is LITIGATION and the trickle-down. Havn’t you been paying attention to the teeVee commercials about FDA approved ‘recalls and SSI out-of-work LAWYERs?’ Like ‘Sam’s club,’ — EVERYbody ‘qualifies.’ Just have to find the DOOR IN… ;-) The Horse and buggy/whip makers’ days are OVER… got to find a ‘creative’ way to continue the fiat $ cycle… Some folks are Rodeo Clowns… not mentioning any names…..
  
  Report this comment
Steve28
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:26pm
I hear this is a blatant problem with many taking early retirement using disability as a reason and much of it is plain and simple fraud. This guy should be given a choice to pay back all the money he took or do hard jail time for fraud.

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- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:58pm
  Agreed.
  
  Report this comment
Zuitsuit
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:16pm
Ahh yes another prime example of the quality personel that come out of that evergrowing cancerous pussbag we call New York City

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- atechgeek
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:23pm
  I know a guy who lives near me .. worked for the NYC Dept. of Sanitation. Literally scratched his back .. ok a little understated .. but he is perfectly fine and fit to work … sits at home playing video games .. taking drugs .. on the tax payer dime. Makes me want to vomit. Can I turn him in ?
  
  Report this comment
- DaveIn84
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:40pm
  Joe Botz: WTF are you talking about?
  
  Report this comment
- FloridaFarmGirl
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 4:16pm
  Since so many New Yorkers have moved to Florida and ruined the state, alot ot them are putting their sights on North Carolina to ruin next. Will the last native Floridan leaving the state please bring the State flag? Thank you so much!!
  
  Report this comment
- Mateytwo Barreett
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 10:36pm
  @Botz
  New perscrption??
  
  Report this comment
SeeSaw
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:14pm
What he is doing Stinks to High Heaven. Hey but that is what his buddies have been doing for years. It is a trained Union function.
I am a Volunteer Fireman in the same county as him(Sussex). All of the Fireman here are Volunteer. We have paid Paramedics and EMT but everyone else is Volunteer.
Since he is a Captain at his Station he is riding a FireTruck, I would be worried he gets Disabiled again? You know a Accident.
NASCAR shouldn’t be using him if he is disabled, but they probably didn’t know that until this story came out.

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Listen_then_think
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:13pm
NYC and NY state suck, unions suck and this guy sucks. More of the same typical liberal actions from the communist states of NY, ILL and commiefornia. Find out how long he has been working NASCAR and make him repay all the money from disability from that point on.

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Jaycen
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:08pm
It galls me that communists like this so-called “disabled” firefighter live their lives off the backs of Capitalists like myself. My money it taken at gun point so he can have it while he sits on his fat…oh, he’s not even doing that? He’s double-dipping?

HE’S WORKING TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND GETTING MY TAX DOLLARS?!?!?!

AAAAAAGH!

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CS_GUY
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:01pm
Aren’t unions great…………..hang this guy by his toenails.

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BarackStalin
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:00pm
This is just another example of what happens when you let organized criminal gangsters take control of the politics in your city…

This guy doesn’t have to work work for his salary because he is connected…

Someday everyone will realize that mafia has taken over the Democrat party…

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- Damn the Taxes - Full Speed Ahead
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:56pm
  Dear Ms. Barack Stalin:
  
  There is no such thing as the mafia. The mafia exists only in the imagination of authors and screenwriters. Back in the day, yo, when Gotti ran things from his Ozone Park, Queens, NYC family home and Carmine Soppresata and Vinnie Botchagaloop were muscling the Gambino’s and the Bonanno’s, man, that was some badazz time to be jacked with the Cosa Nostra in EnWhySee [or NYC to all you country bumkins out there]. I can still smell crazy Paulies gravy simmering on the stove…. but I digress.
  
  Oh yeah, there aint no more mafia since the teflon Don done died. And this fireman robbing city coffers [without sending me my 18% cut] deserves to be whacked — Dormire con i pesci…..
  
  Report this comment
- BarackStalin
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:56pm
  It’s Mr., but you’re passive-aggressive attempt at insult is received with levity,
  
  There is no more mafia because Vinnie the mob boss’s son said, “Dad, I want to be just like you when I grow up”
  
  and Vinnie says, “No, Son…You’se gonna be a politician. That’s where the real racket is”
  
  Report this comment
buster2
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:53pm
Just another sign of the entitlement mentality that our countries population is expecting. Someone asked me the other day, “how do you teach someone to work”, in todays society it is becoming harder to find someone who will do any labor work and I am talking about jobs that pay 40-50 dollars an hour.

It is obvioius that the disability no longer exists or he is a liability for NASCAR. Between this administrations entitltment program and the unions and the surrounding workers that see someone getting paid 95,000 to stay home and persue other projects so they decide to jump on the band wagon to get their disabilities. Workers compensation is no different, workers see the job coming to an end and presto they are injured.

I personally think every worker bee in this country should organize and take a month or two off together, no workee, no taxes collected, maybe then the boys in Congress would develop and orange or two.

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- KevINtampa
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:01pm
  May 1st.
  
  Report this comment
- mbck1491
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:28pm
  If you want to implement total chaos in society go ahead. Then again if Obama gets a second term we will be there anyway.
  
  Report this comment
RougeFastFingers
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:49pm
This is what Unions do…not only is he sucking up NY taxpayer money he’s taking someone else’s job in Del, a double dip.

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scudster
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:48pm
“Let him work” Review his eligibility and amount of entitlement for an injured or medically retired individual.

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Joe Botz
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:47pm
I was a Volunteer Paramedic, at the WTC scene from day one. My lungs are f-d but I’m alive. Guess what because I was a Volunteer our max benefit is 400 a week, well I was in school at the time so my rate is based not on my capacity to earn but what I earned while going to school full time and caring for my children. My life will no doubt be shortened. The city of NY coddles the FDNY! My Father was a Chief. When I was permanently injured while working as a C.O. At Rikers I could have retired on 3/4, my family considers 3/4′s welfare unless you are not capable totally perform one’s duties! I chose not to go out on 3/4, just entered another field. This Fireman should be charged with fraud!

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hauschild
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:33pm
95k per annu for a fireman??? My God, I’m a highly skilled worker in the tech industry and I will NEVER see anything close to 95k per year in retirement. You’re talking a minimum of 3 million in a 401k. Are you freakin’ kidding me???

Not sure when this country became so against the laws of supply and demand, but just because a person chooses to be a fireman or teach or police officer does not give them the right to retire at ridiculously lavish salary amounts. How can these people look at their mugs in the mirror???

Newsflash: Teaching/fire fighting/policing – while noble – is NOT rocket science. These jobs would easily be filled by just as capable bodies for less than half that amount – and no guaranteed pension. I don’t give a rat’s ass how you try to spin this, noble work is NOT deserving of pay outside what the market is willing to pay. Look at Greece and the rest of that joke of a continent, Europe.

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- oldguy49
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:44pm
  raping america……..union 101
  
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- girlnurse
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:47pm
  And thats only 3/4 disability! My goodness, how much would it be if it were 100% disability?????
  
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- KevINtampa
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:49pm
  Hear, Hear.
  
  Comment of the Year Nomination to you Hauschild,
  
  Report this comment
- thefoon
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:03pm
  Where this is a particular case of screwing the taxpayer it is wrong to pigeon hole the rest of the hard working firefighters and police officers. They receive pensions based on the fact that their job is very stressful, physically demanding, and not everyone wants to do it. so hauschild, nobody ever said being a firefighter or cop was the same as rocket science but since we’re on the topic of making fun of what we dont know, neither is your “tech” job because that is very vauge statement and last i checked my 3 yr old can work a computer and ipad. not so nice when your job is over simplified, huh? anyway, ive been both a cop and firefighter in my life and ask you this, would you run into a burning building to possibly save a stranger? would you stand between a man with a weapon and a stranger? could you physically do it? could you mentally be prepared for the fact that you could die when you go to work? and for what? so you and your tech buddies can constantly complain about my salary and pension? not all unions are bad. some are, but most people in unions are just hard working people. union leaders on the other hand is a different argument.
  
  Report this comment
- thefoon
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:06pm
  girlnurse, it is impossible to receive 100% disability pay from the FDNY.
  
  Report this comment
- hauschild
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:38pm
  @TheFoon
  
  Why do you feel you are entitled to higher pay and benefits? You already get basically job security for as long as you want it. You get a pension that easily quadruples to quintuples what I will get from the contributions of my employers to my 401k. You get to retire as a young man; I’ll need to work until I’m 80 years old. You’ll get insurance coverage when you retire in your 50′s that covers you. I get jack squat.
  
  I don’t see how you can justify any of this, really, considering you rely on your fellow citizens for your pay and benefits, while they rely on nobody for theirs, not to mention they don’t received anything. If you don’t see a huge problem here, then you’re part of the problem and if you’re a conservative, you’ve REALLY got issues.
  
  I don’t intend to hurt feelings, but this country is falling apart at the seams and it is more important for me to get people to think and act rationally to see if we might be able to turn this thing around – rather than worry about not offending anybody.
  
  I’m flabbergasted, really. When did we get to a point in this country that common sense is trumped by nonsensical mush?
  
  Report this comment
- Hancock
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 6:06pm
  The Foon is a fool. If union workers were interested in working hard they wouldn’t want or need a union. “Goodies” like this is how they keep their members happy, at our expense of course. Only unionized government employees act like big shots with other peoples money specifically in ways that would get them tossed in prison if they were in the private sector. Grow up dude.
  
  Report this comment
- Acorn Hunter
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 9:47pm
  Girlnurse, 75% is all you get no matter how bad the disability is. It’s the amount of pay not the % of disability.
  
  Report this comment
DaveIn84
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:32pm
“It’s 10 years later. I’m banged up from my life physically and psychologically,’’ he said. “I have serious medical issues.”
My azz! Another greedhead sucking up whatever they can get from the country – this one unfortunately, wraps himself in 9-11, which seems to be a trend in NYC.

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Mapache
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:29pm
NASCAR should review the fact that he is receiving disability and act accordingly. If there is an accident and this firefighter was not able to perform his duties adequately, NASCAR could be sued for not providing adequate medical/firefighting support services.

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- The-Monk
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 9:21pm
  Good point!
  
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- Acorn Hunter
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 9:44pm
  Ya, I’m sure pointing the fire extinguisher at a car is as difficult as fighting a structure fire in a 40+ story high rise building. You have no clue.
  
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droolingclown
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:28pm
he’s nothing but a thief. his mental disability can’t be about feeling guilty. what a bum

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momrules
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:28pm
Just another type of welfare bum. Hey! it’s free money, right?

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toto
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:28pm
To unions from your wallet. This type of situation is going to bury this country. Where is his sense of honor?

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Sleazy Hippo
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:26pm
What is Glenn’s position on these guys in general? Are first responders heroes or not? Are heroes ever paid too much?

Maybe there is a NASCAR practice that says they cannot race without a trained firefighter standing by. Therefore maybe this gentleman is risking his life for the welfare of the community that depends on NASCAR dollars.

Are disabled people not supposed to work anymore if they personally accept risk? If they die early then their disability pay stops. What would a pro-business entrepreneurial conservative say?

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- wboehmer
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:31pm
  Maybe your comments would sound more intelligent if you first looked up what “disability” means.
  
  Report this comment
- hauschild
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:34pm
  You’re joking, right???
  
  Report this comment
- COFemale
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:34pm
  I would say if you claim a disability from your real job and continue performing in that type of position in another job but receive benefits from the first, NO you should not be working. If you are well enough to work as a NASCAR firefighter, then you are well enough to work for the fire department, even if it is behind a desk. Nobody has any morals these days. What happened to right and wrong. Now if he was working at Walmart, I’d wouldn’t question him working. I would wonder why he felt he needed to when he is collecting 95,000 a year in disability.
  
  Report this comment
- USPATRIOT101
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:39pm
  As a taxpayer being ripped off I’ll be the first to say, “Nice job rounding the corners on this one Hippo”. Disability pay is to compensate for wages you can’t earn due to physical limitations, What does Nascar pay him for this “heroic” deed?
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 2:01pm
  Are disabled people not supposed to work anymore if they personally accept risk
  —————
  They can go back to their old job
  
  Report this comment
- JohansenRJ
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 8:24pm
  Cmon…calling EVERY first responder a hero is ridiculous. Of course the work can be dangerous…and that jusifies the very good wages that first responders earn. The disability retirement system is horribly broken, and, if it’s not fixed with some tough decisions, the seriously disabled who are truly unable to work will get nothing because the freeloaders and cheats have drained the system. Oh yeah, I AM a retired first responder, with a ZERO disability rating, because my integrity is worth more than extra money for working the system!
  
  Report this comment
Mo Better
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:25pm
You can find these FDNY frauds all over the country – many in Florida, where they openly brag about “playing the system” for their personal gain. The “hero” suit these self-entitled thieves adorned themselves with after 9/11 shows you how the con man’s mind works – the FDNY and NYPD can shout ‘we are heroes” from the rooftops – in reality, many have used the misforturne to handsomely line their own pockets for the remainder of their lives.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:23pm
He’s too banged up to continue working for the NYFD so he gets a disability check so he can be a firefighter for NASCAR,so many systems are FUBAR it’s a wonder this country has lasted this long.

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CatB
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:20pm
He should be cut off bennies … and FIRED by NASCAR

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- RightUnite
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:31pm
  He should be charged with fraud….
  
  Report this comment
- CatB
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 3:05pm
  @RIGHT..
  
  Yes that should be a “given”. Hope the union isn’t able to stop justice.
  
  Report this comment
MKDAWUSS
Posted on March 26, 2012 at 1:15pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was also a product of overregulation and legions of red tape.

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- olderjarhead
  Posted on March 26, 2012 at 4:26pm
  P.S. – That “disability” pension is TAX FREE!
  
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