Seen at Crooks and Liars.
Fire Michael Brown as FEMA head,
Rep. Wexler urges President Bush
jewishsightseeing.com, Jan. 26, 2005
U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla) has urged President Bush to fire Michael Brown as undersecretary of the Homeland Security Department in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Why the intense need to call for Brown's head on the block at the time? Months before Katrina was more than a puff of vapor over the Atlantic? Seems some money went missing. More below.
Wexler cited reports in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that FEMA under Brown's management inappropriately gave away $30 million in disaster relief funds to people in the Miami, Florida, area even though they were not affected by Hurricane Frances, which made landfall more than 100 miles away.
In his letter to Bush, Wexler wrote: "According to several news accounts by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 'FEMA has written checks to cover new wardrobes, cars, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, furniture and thousands of televisions, microwave ovens, stoves, air conditioners and other appliances.' In addition, the Sun-Sentinel cites that FEMA paid $4,500 for one resident's funeral, even though the county medical examiner recorded no storm-related deaths. Another Sun-Sentinel article stated that two residents received aid for 'dental treatments due to dental injuries received during the disaster.' In six other cases, FEMA reimbursed residents for damage caused by 'ice/snow.'"
ICE/SNOW? At a Hurricane in Florida? New wardrobes, perhaps bought to attend the funeral of a person who was not even a storm victim? This guy is a piece of work. He must be made to resign and we need to crack that rotten melon open and find out what Chertoff and Brown have been doing with our money. Because it's not like any starving babies needed it or anything.
Let Brown be the first wedge in exposing the true level of corruption that is running rampant, out in the open, and under our very noses. Funeral costs in a county with no hurricane fatalities? That's them laughing at you, America, just because they can.
Wexler gets the final word:
"Rather than taking responsibility for FEMA's mishaps and moving expeditiously to correct the
problems, Under Secretary Brown has further undermined his agency's reputation by stymied investigations and inquiries into fraud allegations," Wexler added. "FEMA's massive misallocation of recovery aid is a gross waste of taxpayer monies, which must be immediately addressed by the Bush Administration," Wexler said.
Oh, if only.