In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finds itself in the crosshairs of multiple whistleblower complaints and mounting accusations of gross mismanagement.
Republican firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has taken to X to call out FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, demanding her resignation and promising a brutal grilling before the Oversight Committee.
According to Greene, Criswell will face “worse than the full Kimberly Cheatle treatment” for FEMA’s failures.
On Friday, Elon Musk joined the chorus of voices slamming FEMA’s mishandling of relief efforts.
In a series of explosive posts on X, Musk accused FEMA of obstructing private humanitarian aid, blocking SpaceX engineers from delivering critical Starlink terminals and supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina.
Musk revealed that his team, which had already set up operating bases to help deliver lifesaving resources, was actively blocked by FEMA.
According to Musk, more than 300 Starlink terminals had been deployed to restore communication, but FEMA was impeding progress at every turn.
One of Musk’s engineers shared a disturbing account:
“It’s true. They are now about to shut down the Air space to ‘regulate’ the private choppers we are riding in to deliver Starlink and supplies. We are pushing back with Trump team as well to help us, but not looking good.
We need help to get word out about FEMA, we spoke with Ivanka and handed out Starlinks with her yesterday, but FEMA then showed up and started blocking us.
The largest concern for us here is the FAA throttling flights for our choppers, where they are requiring To/from information and mission now to deliver a discrete code. Doing this takes a long time and very cumbersome to the ops. This is the largest concern and most help we could use.”
This isn’t the first instance of FEMA’s apparent incompetence. Multiple whistleblowers have come forward to expose the agency’s failure to issue deployment orders to first responders, leaving Americans stranded and without help.
In a bombshell letter sent by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whistleblowers claimed that FEMA withheld crucial pre-disaster funds and left “hundreds if not thousands” of service members and first responders idle as Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeastern U.S.
“As reported and further confirmed by my office, hundreds, if not thousands of service members were deployed by the Department of Defense to North Carolina and have sat idle, waiting for FEMA,” Gaetz said in the letter.
“We have confirmed FEMA employees deployed, on the clock, awaiting orders in hotels. FEMA pre-disaster aid was withheld, exacerbating the emergency. It is also public that NGOs have purchased airline tickets for migrants through the use of FEMA funds,” he added.
While Americans suffer in the wake of this disaster, FEMA’s credibility has hit rock bottom.
Despite Congress approving a $20 billion emergency package on September 25 as part of a temporary spending bill to keep the government funded through December 20, Mayorkas announced on Wednesday that “FEMA does not have sufficient funds to make it through the season.”
According to whistleblowers, FEMA is diverting resources to house illegal immigrants and cover the costs of the Biden administration’s border enforcement failures under the Shelter and Services Program of FEMA.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has demanded that FEMA Director Deanne Criswell resign. In a fiery post, she declared, “FEMA Director Deanne Criswell will be coming before the Oversight Committee and will receive the full Kimberly Cheatle treatment. Probably worse. FEMA is confiscating supplies, blocking help to Helene survivors, and using disaster relief funds to house illegals. Resign, Deanne.”
FEMA Director Deanne Criswell will be coming before the Oversight Committee and will receive the full Kimberly Cheatle treatment.
Probably worse.
FEMA is confiscating supplies, blocking help to Helene survivors, and using disaster relief funds to house illegals.
Resign Deanne. https://t.co/v9s7h85s5T pic.twitter.com/1YF2Px9yVm
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 4, 2024
Earlier this year, Criswell, who oversaw the botched response to the tragedies in East Palestine, Ohio, and Maui, Hawaii, faced questioning before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee regarding FEMA’s expanding role in addressing non-traditional disasters, including pandemics and the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border.
The hearing highlighted concerns about FEMA’s ability to manage its core mission amidst these new responsibilities, the potential for fraud and waste in FEMA programs, and the agency’s staffing shortage.
FEMA has obligated over $150 billion for COVID-19 response, and the DHS Inspector General has identified billions in fraud and improper payments.
FEMA has a significant staffing shortage, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found to be a 65% operational capacity gap.
