FEMA wants to recoup $30.3 million from Floridians (7,600 of them)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/business-2/1128461045270810.xml&storylist=louisiana

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was accused of mismanagement, fraud and wasting money after last year's four hurricanes, has asked more than 7,600 Floridians to return $30.3 million in emergency hurricane aid.

Most of the payments FEMA wants back are because insurance settlements were paid after the government aid was doled out. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate insurance coverage, spokesman Jim Homstad said.

In a small number of cases, FEMA wants to recoup the money because of processing errors or duplicate approval of funds, Homstad said.

The measure will affect residents in 60 counties, particularly St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties, where FEMA wants a total of $7.1 million returned.

The agency has come under fire by lawmakers and others for allegedly paying millions of dollars to residents in areas unaffected by the hurricanes who made fraudulent claims, while others were in need.

[UTUSN]

1. They Voted the Wrong Way? n/t

[Wilms]

5. Ding! Ding! Ding! n/t

[cantstandbush]

2. Florida...the fraud state.

This money is public funds. i bet most of them will fight it tooth and nail. So much for the patriotic red state.

[philb]

3. Problem was more than duplication and errors; lots of fraud and

payments to "friends"

[YDogg]

4. I don't know.

I remember hearing about someone I knew going to some FEMA office/official/whatever and receiving money and/or food vouchers of some sort just because it was available. And she had not suffered any property damage or job loss. Nothing. Just went to get free stuff. Limited checks and balanaces, and little organization.

[bluestateguy]

6. And how will they do that?

Please, please, please give the money back?

[mom cat]

7. George wants his vote bribe money back!

[sakabatou]

8. WTF?

[Cha]

9. How stupid is that?

What about all that money that went to the Miami area I read about.. where they didn't even get hit that hard? fema heads=imbeciles.

[samdogmom]

10. They'll probably spend $60 million to get the $30 million back!