Trump looted $44 billion FEMA disaster funds in middle of record hurricane season

[Tanuki]

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-44-billion-fema-hurricane-laura-1047210/amp/

..."If those predictions bear out, Laura could be one of the most destructive Gulf hurricanes on record. It’s particularly bad timing considering that, less than three weeks ago, instead of working with Congress to craft comprehensive legislation to address the ongoing crisis and deliver desperately-needed aid, President Trump looted FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to the tune of $44 billion — authorizing the agency to pay for a $300 per week supplement to regular unemployment benefits.

I wonder if it would be clearer if we say: The $300 a week benefit supplement is similar to the $600 one that was included in the CARES Act passed at the start of the pandemic. An extension of that $600 benefit was included in second relief package that the House has already approved, but that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t hold a vote on.  because the Senate won’t sign off on the House bill and Trump didn’t work with lawmakers to reach a compromise, the unemployment supplement isn’t coming from money appropriated by Congress. It’s coming from the government account meant to cover natural disasters like the one presently bearing down on Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

"I am extremely concerned about the health and safety of Americans when Hurricane Laura comes ashore,” Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), head of the subcommittee on emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, said in a statement. “The fact that President Trump would take up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund right before a possibly record-setting hurricane season shows his inability to protect our country during a crisis. If he had convinced his Senate allies to pass our Heroes Act, we would have extended unemployment benefits and still had plenty of money for FEMA and states to use to help Americans recover from a natural disaster, like Hurricane Laura.”

....
Four months later, things have only gotten worse: the virus has infected millions of Americans, the entire state of California is engulfed in flames, Iowa has been devastated by a rare inland hurricane, and now Laura is on the way, and on top of it all. “There is a reason the Constitution gave Congress the sole power to authorize government expenditures,” Payne continued. “It was to prevent reckless Presidents from taking money from one program to fund another one.”

[beachbumbob]

1. trump will have to explain to the REDSTATES why no money for disaster relief,

[Illumination]

6. Good point! Yes! He doesn't care if he screws over his own base! It's almost laughable (but very

sad) that we have an impeached so called "pres." that cheated to get elected with the Russians & declared bankruptcy 6 TIMES! He just CANNOT get reelected! Him & the rest of his mob partners all need to go to prison & experience the life they so truly deserve!...

[Lonestarblue]

8. McConnell will quickly pass hurricane relief for Louisiana and Texas.

Then he’ll shame the House Democrats if they don't support the bill. Everything’s a power game to people like Trump and McConnell. They have no concern for who gets hurt. Those are just the chumps in life who deserve no better.

[malaise]

2. THIS

and the season is far from over

[bucolic_frolic]

3. "Trump looted" to be the most-used two word phrase for decades

Show us where the money went?

[Frustratedlady]

5. Wait until we kick him out in November. We'll hopefully find a whole bunch of looting, then.

We know that if it is at all possible, he will have feathered his nest for years to come.

[Zoonart]

7. I would love to see a top down audit of every department of the Government after

Biden is elected to see exactly where the money went. Most of it to the wall, and directly into the Trump crime syndicate's pockets through shell contractors.

[Harker]

4. Keep that Sharpie handy.

They rectify all mistakes.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. Weird because trump also told FEMA not to help #covid

Victim families pay for burials. After getting $45 b under Cares Act (and part of their mission in a national emergency) Last time checked, 32 states had pleaded to FEMA to help. Also, AOC introduced a bill to pay per victim in May.

The bill went nowhere, relegated to committee.

Why?

[modrepub]

10. Very Lucky This Time

Not downplaying those who were in the path of this storm, but we got extremely lucky considering the storm didn't impact any really large metropolitan areas and came on shore in a relatively remote and scarcely developed area. A few hundred miles east or west and you would have been going through NOLA or Houston. We can't always be this fortunate and the odds of something bad coming into a highly populated and/or developed area over the long run are almost certain.

[dhill926]

11. this needs to be shouted from the rooftops...

hammer the shit out of him on this....