Florida Democrat urges ouster of FEMA director over disaster aid

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Mon, Jan. 24, 2005

Florida Democrat urges ouster of FEMA director over disaster aid

BY SALLY KESTIN
South Florida Sun-Sentinel


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - A congressman from South Florida called on President Bush Monday to fire the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for "massive misallocation" of disaster aid in Florida.

FEMA Director Michael D. Brown has "stymied investigations" and failed to accept responsibility for mistakes that led to more than $30 million in Hurricane Frances payments to residents of Miami-Dade, even though the county experienced "no more than a heavy rainstorm," Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., wrote to Bush.

"I am sure you agree that such a gross waste of taxpayer monies cannot be taken lightly," Wexler wrote. "I respectfully request that you immediately remove Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security."

Bush had not seen Wexler's letter but stands by Brown, said Taylor Gross, a White House spokesman.
(snip/...)

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/breaking_news/10724344.htm

[7th_Sephiroth]

1. i cant even get a fucking FEMA guy here

to pay me back for the chainsaw and ladder and gas i had to buy (totalling $600) after hurricane ivan, no taking ppl off til i get my money back

[Streetdoc270]

3. There are people still HOMELESS

here after the Bonnie spawned tornado

[7th_Sephiroth]

4. yeah, and i feel for them

but i have problems myself in buying food, i need that money

[OWR51]

8. FEMA

The same thing's happening to me. It sucks. I think Bush told FEMA to pour money into South Florida to buy the election while the Panhandle was told to go to hell because it was heavily "Bush Country".

[Cha]

2. Wasn't that money Flagrantly

given to buy the bushvotes down Miami way?!

[Judi Lynn]

7. Better believe it! It's so creepy.

I just found this snippet which might add a few details:

Posted on Thu, Jan. 06, 2005
Senate committee announces probe into FEMA hurricane payments

BY SALLY KESTIN AND MEGAN O'MATZ
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., wrote to Collins in October after the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that thousands of Miami-Dade County residents had collected Hurricane Frances aid even though the Labor Day storm hit 100 miles to the north. As of Tuesday, FEMA had paid $29.7 million to 12,569 residents of the county.

Nelson again wrote to Collins last month after the newspaper reported that FEMA gave more than $70 million to residents of other areas barely touched by disaster. In Alabama and North Carolina, the government poured money into communities even after local emergency managers reported no damage and warned of possible fraud.

"We need to make sure that the integrity of FEMA's disaster relief program - and taxpayers - are protected from fraudulent claims, inefficient government processing, and wasteful spending," Collins and Lieberman said.

The newspaper's investigation revealed "a management problem in FEMA," Nelson said Thursday.
(snip)

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/news/nation/10584001.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Someone(s) made out like a bandit.

(I didn't know they threw some around in Alabama and N. Carolina in non-damaged communities, either, 'til I saw this article.)

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Good move, dems.

[Spangle]

6. FEMA? What's FEMA?

You mean that group that helps people by giving them loans?

All 3 hit my house. We got NO help from FEMA. Or any one else.

It would have been nice if they would have helped by passing out tarps. It would have been nice if we had some military of sorts that could have put them on the elderlies homes. NOT providing that kind of helped caused more damage to the homes. Raising everyones insurance rates.

[Cha]

9. Federal EMergency Managment Agency

http://www.fema.gov/

I got some fema money in 1993 because I was in hurricane Iniki on Kauai and my lodging and stuff got blown away.

It was a 5.0 hurricane and I got around $1,700..I'm sure others got more that had more property.

That's what they are Suppose to do..help out..by giving you tarps, tents, whatever you need to make it through.

[Liberty Belle]

10. My friend's house is condemned, full of toxic mold from hurricanes.

Her insurance doesn't cover hurricane damage. Right after the hurricane, she got hurt in a car accident that wasn't her fault and lost her job because she missed so much work from her injuries. So far she still can't get anything out of FEMA!

I'm all for helping tsunami victims in Asia, but we ought to be taking care of disaster victims here at home, too.