Brownie Paid Millions in False Claims to Help Bush Win Fla.

[BurtWorm]

DHS sources say Brown won the top FEMA post because he helped Bush win FL.

http://freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1460


by Jason Leopold
September 19, 2005

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 that Brown “and his allies <recommended> 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 emails from Florida Gov. Jeb Bush that confirmed those allegations and directly implicated Brown as playing politics at the expense of hurricane victims.

[WinkyDink]

1. DUH

Pretty obvious, no?

[Rude Horner]

2. Holy shit.

This is really sick. How low can these criminals stoop?

Kick :kick:

Ya know, I need to put my Karl Rove thinking cap on more often. I mean, when I first heard about FEMA handing out millions of extra $'s in Florida, I thought it was incompetence. Had I been wearing my Karl Rove thinking cap, I would have realized that everything has a purpose. It's all political to them. Screw getting help to people who really need it after Katrina - it's not an election year. Screw the fact that the money FEMA gave away in Florida is OUR taxpayer money. It's all about how * would look before the upcoming elections, so here's a few bucks - now vote for Bush.

:nuke:

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Exactly

Everything is political about Karl Rove and everything they do goes back to the same person as well. It all ties together.

[Clark2008]

6. That's what the paltry $300 tax cuts were about, too.

eom

[walkon]

3. Heck-uva-job Brownie!

I'm sure he's getting a big reward from his keepers.

[0007]

5. If true, Brownie needs a long jail term.

junior is going to have to answer for this sonofabitch.

[UrbScotty]

7. I'm shocked!

Republicans don't stoop to this level!

:sarcasm:

[second edition]

8. I read a while back that they were even taken applications for the

money in fast food restaurants. Many requirements were waived and in many cases people had their money within 24 hours. I'll post the link when I locate it.

[WCGreen]

9. If this is true.....

Then jail time needs to be on the table.....

Jeb Needs to be investigated if he knew something and didn't say anything...

this all boils down to too much power in the hands of corruptible people.....

[fooj]

10. So, when are these criminals going to jail?

Peace.

[CatWoman]

13. this is sickening

:kick:

[CitrusLib]

11. Just take a look at Dade County and you'll see exactly what was going on.

Of all the storms we had last year, Dade County never got winds higher than 20mph. Yet they received more disaster aid than Brevard, Indian River, and Martin counties, the three heaviest hit by Jeanne and Frances combined. If you go down to the zip code level, you'll see the money went to the crucial hispanic vote the Bush Administration was courting to win the state. There was a report in the newspapers late last year about all the ridiculous FEMA applications that had been approved in Dade County. I need to dig up that article. It was mind-blowing.

Edited to add one link I found from the Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/weather/orl-asecfema19091905sep19,0,1659173.story

[txaslftist]

12. FEMA: Federal Election Management Agency.

Brown, Allbrough, Chertoff were all electioneers for BUSH. They were deciding who got money.

They were perfect for their jobs, as they knew who to pay. They were not given their positions as a patronage reward; they were given their positions so they could hand out patronage.

Do you get it now? Brownie was not a mistake. He was on purpose. Under Bush the purpose of FEMA was to manage elections, not emergencies.

I'm not joking.

[Name removed]

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