FEMA Head Paid $ to Floridians Unaffected by Hurricane to Win Bush State

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EXPLOSIVE REPORT

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FEMA Chief Brown Paid Millions to Florida Residents
Unaffected by ‘04 Hurricane to Help Bush Win State
by Jason Leopold
www.dissidentvoice.org
September 9, 2005
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Michael Brown, the embattled head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approved payments in excess of $31 million in taxpayer money to thousands of Florida residents who were unaffected by Hurricane Frances and three other hurricanes last year in an effort to help President Bush win a majority of votes in that state during his reelection campaign, according to published reports.

“Some Homeland Security sources said FEMA's efforts to distribute funds quickly after Frances and three other hurricanes that hit the key political battleground state of Florida in a six-week period last fall were undertaken with a keen awareness of the looming presidential elections,” according to a May 19 Washington Post story.
Homeland Security sources told the Post that after the hurricanes, Brown “and his allies him to succeed Tom Ridge as Homeland Security secretary because of their claim that he helped deliver Florida to President Bush by efficiently responding to the Florida hurricanes.”

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel uncovered e-mails from Florida Governor Jeb Bush that confirmed those allegations and directly implicated Brown as playing politics at the expense of hurricane victims....(read rest of article)
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Sept05/Leopold0910.htm

[ogradda]

1. Well I for one am not surprised.

Bet I'm not the only one not surprised.

[yorkiemommie1]

2. kick

n/t

[MichiganVote]

3. I've read Florida message boards that cliam FEMA

is asking for money back claiming they made a mistake last year. Any comments from Florida DU'ers?

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. We've known about this crap for awhile

down here.

Miami/Dade County was untouched by any of the hurricanes last year, yet got thousand of dollars in FEMA claims.

Also, once the cameras left and the election was over, so was the aid. We still have 100's if not 1000's of people still living under blue tarp roofs.

[MichiganVote]

6. More than enough fodder for investigative reporting.

The corruption just goes on and on...

[AirmensMom]

7. Some of my husband's co-workers (all kool-aid drinkers)

got generators that they didn't need, expensive ones. No one ever asked for any money back. Small potatoes, I know, until you start multiplying them.

[MichiganVote]

8. Welcome Airmens...

I think the people who were asked to pay money back were those who received housing grants or loans for rebuilding. Beats me. Like to have one of those generators up here for when the ice storms make the power go out. Nice to have a friend in Bush..er, Jesus.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi AirmensMom!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[RagingInMiami]

5. It's no secret even though it just came out a few weeks ago

It was right before the election, and people who were not affected by the hurricane, were cashing in.

[Skidmore]

10. So when will he and Jeb be indicted?

[AirmensMom]

11. Thanks for the welcome!

I've been lurking here since last November and finally decided to join in. :hi: