FEMA: Federal Emergency Mismanagement Agency
After Orlando, FEMA turns down $5 million requested by Gov. Rick Scott.
On June 12, America suffered the worst terrorist attack since 9/11. Any rational person considers that an “emergency.” But it’s apparently not a very critical one to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This week FEMA turned down $5 million in monetary assistance requested by Gov. Rick Scott in the wake of the Islamist attack.
In a June 20 letter, FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate explained his rationale, writing: “Because your request did not demonstrate how the emergency response associated with this situation is beyond the capability of the state and affected local governments or identify any direct federal assistance needed to save lives or protect property, an emergency declaration is not appropriate for this incident. Therefore, I must inform you that your request for an emergency declaration is denied.”
An understandably irritated Gov. Rick Scott responded, “I was shocked. If you look at the fact that things they’ve approved in the past, if you look at that it makes no sense to me why they wouldn’t approve this. I mean this is clearly an attack on our nation.”
According to the Associated Press, “Spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said Tuesday that Scott doesn’t understand why the request was denied, adding that an emergency was declared for the Boston Marathon bombing.” The AP added, “[FEMA officials] also say most other governors of states where mass shootings have taken place didn’t request such aid.”
Let’s get this straight. The Boston attack involved bombs, while the Orlando incident involved firearms, but both were identical in that they were perpetrated by Islamic extremists. This is yet another example of how the Obama administration plays politics even on matters of national security. The fact the Orlando massacre occurred inside a homosexual nightclub and the terrorist’s instrument was an “assault” rifle should have absolutely no bearing on FEMA allocations.
States always have their hands out for FEMA cash, so it’s a ripe source of waste. That being said, all these other project get FEMA cash, so why not the worst terrorist attack since 9/11?
