Yeah, let’s talk about Criswell and FEMA. She goes on ABC’s “This Week” with Clinton Stooge George Stephanopoulos and says “it’s plain false” that FEMA is short of disaster relief funds because the money was spent on illegal immigrants. She’s not denying that nearly a billion dollars was spent (not just loaned but given to) illegals the last two years. What she's doing is splitting hairs, because the fact remains that if that money hadn’t been given to illegals it would be available to do something else … like help out the folks in the rural areas of hard hit North Carolina.
Now on September 29th, she went on NPR to talk about the “state” of FEMA and said, in response to being asked, “Do you have what you need to do this level of recovery?” that "you might be aware that we are running low in our disaster relief funds, and we went into what we call immediate needs funding in early August.” In other words, she’s not denying that they’re short of funds either. What she then says is that the solution to the shortfall that they’ve come up is that they’re going to “spend against the president’s budget for fiscal year ’25” … in other words, they are going to spend next year’s money … now. Furthermore, she then warned, “without a supplemental, we’re going to find ourselves in the same situation with immediate needs funding in January, maybe even earlier, depending on the impacts of this storm.” If you ask me, the situation sounds pretty dire, if they are spending next year’s money just to deal with this year’s catastrophe and that level of funding might not even carry them through January.
But here’s what makes me really think you’re right that she’s lying. According to https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2024/10/06/untapped_relief_fema_is_sitting_on_billions_of_unused_disaster_funds_1063217.html , “FEMA is currently sitting on untapped reserves appropriated for past disasters stretching back decades. An August report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General noted that in 2022, FEMA 'estimated that 847 disaster declarations with approximately $73 billion in unliquidated funds remained open.' Drilling down on that data, the OIG found that $8.3 billion of that total was for disasters declared in 2012 or earlier. … snip … Those projects now represent billions in unliquidated appropriations that could potentially be returned to the DRF (Disaster Relief Fund). … snip … FEMA did not respond to a request for comment about whether it could access the earmarked funds.”
It seems to me that if there really is $8 billion in unliquidated funds for disasters earlier than 2012 (that's 12 years ago), then those funds should have been returned to the Treasury by now as unneeded. And if they aren’t available now, then someone at FEMA absconded with them (maybe embezzled them or used them, without approval for purposes for which they were not intended). Either way, this doesn’t look good for FEMA and its current DEI head.
Another fact suggesting FEMA is indeed using disaster relief funds for illegals is an announcement in August of 2023 by FEMA that “non-citizens granted asylum”, “refugees”, “non-citizens whose deportation status is being withheld for at least a year, “non-citizens paroled into the US for at least one years for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefit, “Cuban/Haitan entrants, etc etc, qualify for “disaster assistance.” Here’s the announcement:
It states the assistance may include money for “temporary rental assistance, home repairs, personal property loss, medical expenses, funeral expenses and other serious disaster related needs" and “crisis counseling assistance, disaster legal services, disaster care management, disaster supplemental nutrition assistance, and other non-monetary, in kind emergency disaster-relief programs. These include medical care, shelter, food and water.” And guess what? The arrival of illegals into a community is considered a disaster qualifying for this assistance. That’s how FEMA was able to send nearly a billion dollars to communities receiving migrants (i.e., illegals). Don’t believe me? Just look at the title of some of the FEMA press releases the past 2 years …
You get the picture? The FEMA director is LYING, just like the DEI head of the Secret Service lied after the attempted assassination of Trump. Just like the head of the FBI has been lying. Ad nauseam. And it’s not just Biden/Harris Administration officials that are lying constantly these days.
Check out this interview of Senator Tom Cotton by NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet The Press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCt4imuZsRY&t=1s. From beginning to end, Welker attacks Cotton and republicans with dishonest questions, smears and outright falsehoods. In particular, notice at the 27 second mark when she closes her eyes at the point she claims that FEMA funds have not been directed to “migrants” (i.e., ILLEGALS). She says those claims are "debunked and they're false”. Notice that she could not maintain eye contact with Cotton when she said that … a classic tell that she knew she was lying.
And what really makes me angry is that she attacks republicans for politicizing disaster relief, yet democrats have done that repeatedly Remember Katrina (just one of many examples), when Bush and FEMA were savaged by democRATS for a relief effort that was bigger and more timely than the one taking place now in the wake of Hurricane Helene? What we are witnessing is a 1984 level of double think by democRATS at all levels. They are stating outright falsehoods as if they are facts in order to propagandize (fool) the populace just prior to an election. This behavior doesn’t bode well for America’s future. The Democratic Party is BROKEN. DemocRATS have walked off a cliff and they’re now intent on dragging all of America down with them. God help us.
Wow, that is the best comment ever and I have to admit I want to go back and spend some more time unpacking it, particularly the links. There is a lot here!
I remember Katrina well (I was in Houston at the time and we got a lot of the "Katrina refugees.") Far be it from me to defend George W. Bush, but a lot of the Katrina debacle can be traced back to the mayor of NO at the time (Ray Nagin). Nagin, for instance, delayed issued evacuation orders until it was too late. I think Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was another case where the local authorities mangled federal support and then blamed the feds.
The interesting thing here is that flooding a community with illegals is considered a "disaster," so doing this deliberately is inflicting disaster, right? Isn't that illegal? And notice that we even hesitate to mention the word "illegal," as if our laws are so meaningless you don't even need to bring them up--they're irrelevant.
My two random experiences with FEMA indicate that FEMA is exactly typical for a federal agency--a lot of money managed by incompetents. That is always what I thought of FEMA and many other government agencies as well. But I see now that FEMA is involved in some sort of quasi-money-laundering scheme at the very least. It's not traditional money laundering, it's more the ability to channel federal money wherever the regime wants it to go.
I'm very worried about Hurricane Milton. It looks really bad. And did you hear Mayorkas the other day when he said--days before Milton was every a tropical wave--that there was another hurricane coming? How did he know? Historically, most hurricanes occur in September although June 1 to November 1 is the official hurricane season. I don't know much about meteorology but what I hear on the weather stations makes me think that Milton is an anomaly--the way it formed, the way it gained intensity.
"I don't know much about meteorology but what I hear on the weather stations makes me think that Milton is an anomaly--the way it formed, the way it gained intensity."
In fact, according to that article, there were 15 numbered (they didn’t name them back them) Atlantic hurricanes that year, and as noted there could easily have been many more that were not observed given that there were no satellites, hurricane hunter aircraft, or long range weather radars available to identify and track them back then.
Also, the 1916 season had 10 hurricanes so far in the season, compared to the 9 hurricanes now, AND, the 1916 season had 5 major hurricanes compared to only 4 major hurricanes (including Milton) so far in the year. In short, hurricanes this strong and this prevalent occurred along the east coast long before AGWalarmism was a *thing*.
In fact, as noted … “The 1916 Atlantic season had a total ACE [Accumulated Cyclone Energy] component of 144 as shown below compared to the 2024 season total 115.6 as of October 7, 2024. The Atlantic Season 30-year ACE average (1991 – 2020) is at a value of 122.5 so the year 1916 was an above average ACE hurricane year.”
Like the article says ... “If politically driven climate alarmist propagandists had been around 108 years ago it seems certain that the year 1916 outcomes would also have been characterized as being a clear “sign” that hurricanes are getting worse because of “climate change”.” Just saying …
You are so right !! After Sandy hit, it was community organizations. I will say, local law enforcement, fire houses provided safety and help. Law enforcement stationed around to prevent looters and onlookers from entering the town. As well one was posted at the corner (which was of great comfort because of no electricity or phone. As well firehouses provided showers. The Natiol Guard did post at the school to hand out water and food.
However it was charity organizations who set up camp, provided hot meals and helped with cleanup. Many got grants for rebuilding and staying elsewhere but I did not. What they did was re-zone my house. Which was not in a flood zone (and since it didn’t flood during Sandy-it ain’t flooding)
But they made it where it had to now have flood insurance and have to be raised for someone else to get a mortgage going forward. Fema denied my request for assistance to raise my house, where other people got a brand new (raised-elevated) house all over town. I got nothing. I think it is a useless money laundering scheme. Where it should be funds (not loans to assist people in need) HERE IN OUR COUNTRY, not the pour souls suffering in Lebanon. I fully support the rednecks with chainsaws saws and boats. It’s ultimately the people who show up. The government claims to be of help, but if you report on how bad the government responds like in North Carolina (which has been appalling) it’s called misinformation. People can’t even say what they are experiencing without being called a liar. Don’t even get me started on Mayorkas says we’re out of money but the money to illegals came from another bucket. It’s all OUR BUCKET !!!! Thank you for shedding light on this sham.
We are just now about done with Hurricane Beryl in my neck of the woods and although FEMA did have an online portal--I never saw one of them. I did see police, fire dept people, Samaratin's Purse crews, Billy Graham Ministry crews, and lots of church people plus the usual rednecks with chainsaws brigade. That's who helps you. And hats off always to the Cajun Navy--they truly get there first, leave last, and do most of the difficult/dangerous work. I also applaud the linemen and others who restore city services.
But the feds? Worthless. Worse than worthless, they just come in to make things worse.
Wowowow... What a mess!
Yeah, let’s talk about Criswell and FEMA. She goes on ABC’s “This Week” with Clinton Stooge George Stephanopoulos and says “it’s plain false” that FEMA is short of disaster relief funds because the money was spent on illegal immigrants. She’s not denying that nearly a billion dollars was spent (not just loaned but given to) illegals the last two years. What she's doing is splitting hairs, because the fact remains that if that money hadn’t been given to illegals it would be available to do something else … like help out the folks in the rural areas of hard hit North Carolina.
Now on September 29th, she went on NPR to talk about the “state” of FEMA and said, in response to being asked, “Do you have what you need to do this level of recovery?” that "you might be aware that we are running low in our disaster relief funds, and we went into what we call immediate needs funding in early August.” In other words, she’s not denying that they’re short of funds either. What she then says is that the solution to the shortfall that they’ve come up is that they’re going to “spend against the president’s budget for fiscal year ’25” … in other words, they are going to spend next year’s money … now. Furthermore, she then warned, “without a supplemental, we’re going to find ourselves in the same situation with immediate needs funding in January, maybe even earlier, depending on the impacts of this storm.” If you ask me, the situation sounds pretty dire, if they are spending next year’s money just to deal with this year’s catastrophe and that level of funding might not even carry them through January.
But here’s what makes me really think you’re right that she’s lying. According to https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2024/10/06/untapped_relief_fema_is_sitting_on_billions_of_unused_disaster_funds_1063217.html , “FEMA is currently sitting on untapped reserves appropriated for past disasters stretching back decades. An August report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General noted that in 2022, FEMA 'estimated that 847 disaster declarations with approximately $73 billion in unliquidated funds remained open.' Drilling down on that data, the OIG found that $8.3 billion of that total was for disasters declared in 2012 or earlier. … snip … Those projects now represent billions in unliquidated appropriations that could potentially be returned to the DRF (Disaster Relief Fund). … snip … FEMA did not respond to a request for comment about whether it could access the earmarked funds.”
It seems to me that if there really is $8 billion in unliquidated funds for disasters earlier than 2012 (that's 12 years ago), then those funds should have been returned to the Treasury by now as unneeded. And if they aren’t available now, then someone at FEMA absconded with them (maybe embezzled them or used them, without approval for purposes for which they were not intended). Either way, this doesn’t look good for FEMA and its current DEI head.
Another fact suggesting FEMA is indeed using disaster relief funds for illegals is an announcement in August of 2023 by FEMA that “non-citizens granted asylum”, “refugees”, “non-citizens whose deportation status is being withheld for at least a year, “non-citizens paroled into the US for at least one years for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefit, “Cuban/Haitan entrants, etc etc, qualify for “disaster assistance.” Here’s the announcement:
https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1842170426740310441/photo/1
It states the assistance may include money for “temporary rental assistance, home repairs, personal property loss, medical expenses, funeral expenses and other serious disaster related needs" and “crisis counseling assistance, disaster legal services, disaster care management, disaster supplemental nutrition assistance, and other non-monetary, in kind emergency disaster-relief programs. These include medical care, shelter, food and water.” And guess what? The arrival of illegals into a community is considered a disaster qualifying for this assistance. That’s how FEMA was able to send nearly a billion dollars to communities receiving migrants (i.e., illegals). Don’t believe me? Just look at the title of some of the FEMA press releases the past 2 years …
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/08/28/department-homeland-security-announces-380-million-additional-funding-communities ”Department of Homeland Security Announces $380 Million in Additional Funding to Communities Receiving Migrants" - August 2024
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/04/12/department-homeland-security-announces-300-million-direct-funding-communities “Department of Homeland Security Announces $300 Million in Direct Funding to Communities Receiving Migrants and $340 Million for A New Competitive Awards Process” - April 2024
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/09/27/department-homeland-security-announces-distribution-more-12-million-funding “Department of Homeland Security Announces Distribution of More Than $12 Million in Funding for Communities Receiving Migrants” - September 2023
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/08/21/dhs-announces-distribution-more-77-million-congressional-funding-communities “Department of Homeland Security Announces Distribution of More Than $77 Million in Congressional Funding for Communities Receiving Migrants” - August 2023
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/05/05/emergency-food-and-shelter-program-national-board-allocates-over-300-million-local “Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board Allocates Over $300 Million to Local Communities for Humanitarian Support” - May 2023
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/02/28/department-homeland-security-awards-350-million-humanitarian-assistance-through “The Department of Homeland Security Awards $350 Million for Humanitarian Assistance Through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program” - February 2023
You get the picture? The FEMA director is LYING, just like the DEI head of the Secret Service lied after the attempted assassination of Trump. Just like the head of the FBI has been lying. Ad nauseam. And it’s not just Biden/Harris Administration officials that are lying constantly these days.
Check out this interview of Senator Tom Cotton by NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet The Press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCt4imuZsRY&t=1s. From beginning to end, Welker attacks Cotton and republicans with dishonest questions, smears and outright falsehoods. In particular, notice at the 27 second mark when she closes her eyes at the point she claims that FEMA funds have not been directed to “migrants” (i.e., ILLEGALS). She says those claims are "debunked and they're false”. Notice that she could not maintain eye contact with Cotton when she said that … a classic tell that she knew she was lying.
And what really makes me angry is that she attacks republicans for politicizing disaster relief, yet democrats have done that repeatedly Remember Katrina (just one of many examples), when Bush and FEMA were savaged by democRATS for a relief effort that was bigger and more timely than the one taking place now in the wake of Hurricane Helene? What we are witnessing is a 1984 level of double think by democRATS at all levels. They are stating outright falsehoods as if they are facts in order to propagandize (fool) the populace just prior to an election. This behavior doesn’t bode well for America’s future. The Democratic Party is BROKEN. DemocRATS have walked off a cliff and they’re now intent on dragging all of America down with them. God help us.
Wow, that is the best comment ever and I have to admit I want to go back and spend some more time unpacking it, particularly the links. There is a lot here!
I remember Katrina well (I was in Houston at the time and we got a lot of the "Katrina refugees.") Far be it from me to defend George W. Bush, but a lot of the Katrina debacle can be traced back to the mayor of NO at the time (Ray Nagin). Nagin, for instance, delayed issued evacuation orders until it was too late. I think Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was another case where the local authorities mangled federal support and then blamed the feds.
The interesting thing here is that flooding a community with illegals is considered a "disaster," so doing this deliberately is inflicting disaster, right? Isn't that illegal? And notice that we even hesitate to mention the word "illegal," as if our laws are so meaningless you don't even need to bring them up--they're irrelevant.
My two random experiences with FEMA indicate that FEMA is exactly typical for a federal agency--a lot of money managed by incompetents. That is always what I thought of FEMA and many other government agencies as well. But I see now that FEMA is involved in some sort of quasi-money-laundering scheme at the very least. It's not traditional money laundering, it's more the ability to channel federal money wherever the regime wants it to go.
I'm very worried about Hurricane Milton. It looks really bad. And did you hear Mayorkas the other day when he said--days before Milton was every a tropical wave--that there was another hurricane coming? How did he know? Historically, most hurricanes occur in September although June 1 to November 1 is the official hurricane season. I don't know much about meteorology but what I hear on the weather stations makes me think that Milton is an anomaly--the way it formed, the way it gained intensity.
"I don't know much about meteorology but what I hear on the weather stations makes me think that Milton is an anomaly--the way it formed, the way it gained intensity."
Helene and Milton certainly aren’t the result of global warming like the leftist mainstream media and democRATS are now trying to claim. As noted on the website wattsupwiththat.com (https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/10/08/meet-the-108-year-old-1916-major-hurricane-that-brought-8-feet-of-flood-water-to-asheville-nc-covered-all-of-biltmore/), a great source for debunking AGWalarmism, 108 years ago, in 1916, there was a hurricane that prompted headlines like this … “Five Known Dead in Asheville Flood, With Property Damage Estimated At $10,000,000 - Eight Feet Of Water In Union Station of Asheville And All Of Biltmore Covered By Flood”.
In fact, according to that article, there were 15 numbered (they didn’t name them back them) Atlantic hurricanes that year, and as noted there could easily have been many more that were not observed given that there were no satellites, hurricane hunter aircraft, or long range weather radars available to identify and track them back then.
Also, the 1916 season had 10 hurricanes so far in the season, compared to the 9 hurricanes now, AND, the 1916 season had 5 major hurricanes compared to only 4 major hurricanes (including Milton) so far in the year. In short, hurricanes this strong and this prevalent occurred along the east coast long before AGWalarmism was a *thing*.
In fact, as noted … “The 1916 Atlantic season had a total ACE [Accumulated Cyclone Energy] component of 144 as shown below compared to the 2024 season total 115.6 as of October 7, 2024. The Atlantic Season 30-year ACE average (1991 – 2020) is at a value of 122.5 so the year 1916 was an above average ACE hurricane year.”
Like the article says ... “If politically driven climate alarmist propagandists had been around 108 years ago it seems certain that the year 1916 outcomes would also have been characterized as being a clear “sign” that hurricanes are getting worse because of “climate change”.” Just saying …
You are so right !! After Sandy hit, it was community organizations. I will say, local law enforcement, fire houses provided safety and help. Law enforcement stationed around to prevent looters and onlookers from entering the town. As well one was posted at the corner (which was of great comfort because of no electricity or phone. As well firehouses provided showers. The Natiol Guard did post at the school to hand out water and food.
However it was charity organizations who set up camp, provided hot meals and helped with cleanup. Many got grants for rebuilding and staying elsewhere but I did not. What they did was re-zone my house. Which was not in a flood zone (and since it didn’t flood during Sandy-it ain’t flooding)
But they made it where it had to now have flood insurance and have to be raised for someone else to get a mortgage going forward. Fema denied my request for assistance to raise my house, where other people got a brand new (raised-elevated) house all over town. I got nothing. I think it is a useless money laundering scheme. Where it should be funds (not loans to assist people in need) HERE IN OUR COUNTRY, not the pour souls suffering in Lebanon. I fully support the rednecks with chainsaws saws and boats. It’s ultimately the people who show up. The government claims to be of help, but if you report on how bad the government responds like in North Carolina (which has been appalling) it’s called misinformation. People can’t even say what they are experiencing without being called a liar. Don’t even get me started on Mayorkas says we’re out of money but the money to illegals came from another bucket. It’s all OUR BUCKET !!!! Thank you for shedding light on this sham.
We are just now about done with Hurricane Beryl in my neck of the woods and although FEMA did have an online portal--I never saw one of them. I did see police, fire dept people, Samaratin's Purse crews, Billy Graham Ministry crews, and lots of church people plus the usual rednecks with chainsaws brigade. That's who helps you. And hats off always to the Cajun Navy--they truly get there first, leave last, and do most of the difficult/dangerous work. I also applaud the linemen and others who restore city services.
But the feds? Worthless. Worse than worthless, they just come in to make things worse.