FEMA'S FISCAL DISASTER

[Amy6627]

http://www.taxpayer.net/TCS/wastebasket/nationalsecurity/2005-9-09FEMAfarce.htm

Vol. X No. 30
September 9, 2005

FEMA'S FISCAL DISASTER

The “reassignment” of Michael Brown, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), may be a good political move for an administration feeling the heat in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. But unless FEMA shapes up its act in short order, Brown’s relegation to Washington will make very little difference to the thousands of Americans now dependent on FEMA to see them through this historic time of need.

Brown’s demotion was a long time coming. He rightfully should have been sacked last year, when his agency responded to Florida’s hurricane season by running a relief effort rife with abuse and fraud. During Hurricane Frances, thousands received aid for belongings they didn't own, temporary housing they never requested and cars worth far less than the government paid. If Katrina’s aftermath is handled this poorly – and the feds haven’t gotten off to a very good start – we could be looking at a relief effort that wastes billions of dollars desperately needed by relocated families.

FEMA is in charge with distributing storm payouts to hurricane victims in their time of need. After Uncle Sam declares a county a disaster area, residents of that county are eligible for FEMA’s support. But because of FEMA’s incompetence in Florida, billions were misspent on people didn’t see a lot of damage in the first place. One Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report that reviewed Miami-Dade County payments concluded that the agency's practices "cast doubt about the appropriateness" of awards elsewhere in the state.

Here are some of the worst examples of waste:

http://www.taxpayer.net/TCS/wastebasket/nationalsecurity/2005-9-09FEMAfarce.htm

[benburch]

1. FEMA-gate just gets bigger and bigger nt

[whistle]

2. The FEMA financial aid abuses where nothing but vote buying bribes

...rampant throughout republican voter precincts, while others in real need of financial disaster relief were blown off and ignored by FEMA. Highly selective and highly discriminatory practices by FEMA in the weeks just before the Nov'04 election in the state. A scandal that has been ignored by all of the state's MSM, covered up, placed in the shadows.