Republican Sen. Rand Paul says that some people "game the system" to receive disability payments they don't deserve. During a meeting Wednesday with Republican state lawmakers in New Hampshire, Paul said that fraud is a widespread problem in disability programs that help people who are injured at work.
Paul said "over half the people on disability are either anxious, or their back hurts...join the club, you know...who doesn't get up a little anxious for work everyday and their back hurts? Everybody over forty has a back pain."
The Democratic National Committee seized on the comments, calling them offensive.
In a later interview with The Associated Press, Paul dismissed the criticism and said the federal government does not do an adequate job policing a system in need of reform.
The Kentucky Republican says his critics are arguing for fraud while he's arguing for eliminating fraud.
A potential presidential candidate, Paul was visiting early voting New Hampshire for the first time this year.