Donald Trump has kept his promise to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Yesterday he announced that Kennedy would become Secretary of Health and Human Services in the second Trump administration. This might not seem a significant appointment, given that Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. saw Secretaries of Health – and Presidents, and even Directors of the National Institutes of Health – come and go, and did whatever he pleased in his long tenure as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. But in fact the Health Secretary is as close to a Health Czar as the federal government has. Even better, it is a Senate-confirmed department headship. Whoever holds that post has authority to make a lasting difference to Americans’ health – if he can use it.

Kennedy shocks everyone

Christina Laila of The Gateway Pundit broke the news in an obviously celebratory way. She cited Politico.com, who themselves quoted a leaker who still hasn’t blown his cover. But obviously the best confirmation comes from Trump himself:

I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health. The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113483366471340943

Philip Wegmann at RealClearPolitics chronicled the lack of anticipation of the decision, and the shock and surprise that greeted it. Shortly before the election, Howard Lutnick, co-chair of the Trump transition committee, denied that Kennedy would get “a job for HHS.” But he did.

Pharmaceutical stocks stumbled. Democrats on Capitol Hill were aghast. Republicans were mostly silent. Asked for reaction, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, whom Republicans elected to serve as Senate majority leader in the next Congress, told reporters, “I don’t have one at this point.”

The legacy media gasped, and seemed to shuffle on their stages in a collective daze. Van Jones spoke of termites released onto the pillars of society. A former White House health policy adviser was at a loss for words. How could this happen? How could someone who questions the very notion of vaccines take charge of the country’s health establishment? Oh, the humanity! Cue the meat wagons rolling down the main street, bullhorns blaring “Bring out your dead!”

Actually, the world’s pharmaceutical companies likely anticipated this appointment, even if their investors didn’t. The day after the election, the CEOs of the five largest drug companies held an emergency teleconference. New Jersey Assemblyman Jamal Holley, a friend of Kennedy, boasted about that.

Sources tell me top five CEOs of pharmaceutical companies are holding an emergency teleconference at 1 PM. A lawyer has confirmed that everyone is in a state of panic!

https://x.com/jamelholley/status/1854184692402061588

And likely for good reason. Even before the election, Kennedy was announcing a sweeping change:

On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump want to Make America Healthy Again. [Mentions Michael P. Connett, lead counsel for plaintiffs in Food and Water Watch v. EPA, and links to this Highwire video in which Mr. Connett describes flouride’s harms.]

On October 4 ,an Obama appointed Federal Judge held against EPA after reviewing thousands of scientific studies and weeks of expert testimony ruling that the agency had improperly approved this dangerous neurotoxin.

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852907832884285708

What kind of change is forthcoming?

The day after the election, Kennedy said, in an MSNBC interview, that he would see to three objectives:

President Trump has asked me to do three things:

1. Clean up the corruption in our government health agencies.

2. Return those agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science.

3. Make America Healthy Again by ending the chronic disease epidemic.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1854281809464529384

In fact the Department of Health and Human Services oversees – and budgets for – almost every agency that affects human health. These agencies fall under the Public Health Service, which also hosts the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, under the Surgeon General. The list includes:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Indian Health Service (IHS)

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

• Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)

• Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

The Department also includes these agencies not under the Public Health Service:

• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

• Administration for Community Living (ACL)

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Now the full scope of Kennedy’s authority becomes apparent. The NIH, the CDC, and the FDA especially are the source for most government medical direction in America. The “corporate capture” of which Trump and Kennedy have both spoken, involves the FDA more than any other agency.

Limits to his authority

Such would be Kennedy’s direct authority. But that might not give him full authority over everything that affects human health. The depletion of farm soils, and the slow poisoning due to pesticides, is a matter for the Department of Agriculture. But as a fellow Secretary, Kennedy would sit in on meetings and could directly reach the Secretary of Agriculture. A few words in his ear might go a long way. He would also have the ear of the President – and considering their new-found friendship, that counts for a lot.

Constitutionalist Darrell L. Castle thought highly enough of Kennedy to endorse his independent Presidential candidacy last year. The “brief” of the Secretary of Health and Human Services covers almost everything he sought to affect, and gives him a powerful voice to affect the rest. If half the leftist voices squawking about his appointment would think a little more carefully, they might welcome it. They might even begin to welcome it, after the first day passes with no direct-to-patient drug advertising on radio, television, or video platforms.

Beyond that, the limits of his effectiveness could depend strictly on his imagination. Makers of herbal remedies, and traditional diet advocates, might want to start drafting “white papers” to send him. That could be the means of the most important and salutary change he could make.

Link to:

The article:

https://cnav.news/2024/11/15/foundation/constitution/kennedy-become-health-secretary/

Video:

Resources:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/breaking-president-trump-taps-rfk-jr-human-health/

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113483366471340943

https://cnav.news/2024/11/15/news/transition-trump-call-shots/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/panic-mode-top-five-big-pharma-ceos-hold/

https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/expert-attorney-exposes-decades-of-fluoride-harms/

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852907832884285708

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1854281809464529384

https://cnav.news/2023/06/09/editorial/guest/robert-f-kennedy-jr-struggle-liberty/

Declarations of Truth X feed:

https://x.com/DecTruth

Declarations of Truth Locals Community:

https://declarationsoftruth.locals.com/

Conservative News and Views:

https://cnav.news/

Clixnet Media

https://clixnet.com/

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is now taking on the greatest challenge of his life. President-elect Donald J. Trump nominated him yesterday to become Attorney General of the United States. Every warmonger, enemy of American liberty, and servant of (or shill for) the Deep State is making hay over false allegations of inappropriate relations with a minor girl – allegations that even Merrick Garland’s Department of Political Justice found they could never substantiate. (Let no one say that the case would come before Judge Aileen Cannon, who would dismiss it out of hand. She’s in the Southern District of Florida; Gaetz’ district is in the Northern.) Herewith a review, not so much of the allegations as of their coverage, by media outlets of varying reliability.

Matt Gaetz in the political spotlight

Matt Gaetz represents Florida’s First District, which is the extreme western end of the Florida Panhandle. He won reelection 2-1 over his Democratic opponent.

Matt Gaetz has been in the House of Representatives since 2017, and throughout his tenure he has been a troublemaker. He once cosponsored a bill to forbid Members of Congress to trade common stock and other securities. Among the other sponsors: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). But the subject matter, not the lead sponsor, incurred his colleagues’ rage. Many Republicans are just as guilty of profiting through insider trading as, say, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the Poster Lady.

After the Midterms in which Republicans barely captured the House, Gaetz filed the Motion to Vacate the Chair. It carried, and that is why Kevin McCarthy is not even a member of the House of Representatives anymore. (When they told him he couldn’t be captain anymore, he gathered up his marbles and slunk home.) Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) became Speaker after a series of contentious votes.

More recently, Gaetz wrote a scathing critique of a “pep rally” at the Justice Department after the Trump-Harris debate. In it he accused the Attorney General of multiple violations of law, not only in the prosecutions of Trump but in DOJ’s treatment of its own staff. But Gaetz said nothing about the shameful way the DOJ, and the House Ethics Committee, has treated him.

What about that 17-year-old girl?

In March of 2021 – the first year of the Biden-Harris administration – Matt Gaetz suddenly faced a fearsome allegation. Allegedly, he once met a 17-year-old girl, paid her for sex, and even arranged for her to cross State lines. That, if it happened, would constitute sex trafficking under federal law.

The report came from The New York Times. Apparently the congressman’s name turned up in the investigation of another person: Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg. Greenberg has faced trial on solicitation and sex-with-underage-girls charges of his own, according to The Hill.

For more than a year, Gaetz was subject to a federal investigation. He has consistently denied any such wrongdoing, and suggested someone tried to extort $25 million from him and his family. The New Republic filed its own breathless story about Gaetz. But even they had to admit that they couldn’t prove that Gaetz was about to come under indictment.

Ultimately the Justice Department dropped the case. CNN reports why: they couldn’t be sure their witness could convince a jury that she was telling the truth. The history of Merrick Garland’s Justice Department is one of repeated political prosecutions that would make Lavrentiy Beria envious.

Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.

So if they dropped the case, they had none and couldn’t even fabricate one.

Matt Gaetz still a target

And Gaetz remains a target. Cassidy Hutchinson, of “Trump grabbing the wheel” fame, accused Gaetz of sexual harassment during a 2020 Camp David trip. More recently, someone accused him of being at a “drug-fueled sex party” that a 17-year-old girl also attended. That came out allegedly in a court filing that NOTUS reported last September. But everyone but the fringe leftist media forgot about that at the time. A little matter of two hurricanes that struck Florida and other States distracted the public’s attention. But evidently the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct – the Ethics Committee – opened an investigation into that wild-party rumor.

On Tuesday (November 12), rumors circulated that someone – no one would say who – would nominate a challenger to Speaker Johnson in the Republican House Leadership elections. Nothing came of that, especially after Trump resoundingly endorsed Johnson’s staying on as Speaker. Then yesterday, Trump nominated Matt Gaetz to be his Attorney General.

That evening, Gaetz resigned from Congress, effective immediately. He explained to Speaker Johnson that the Republican Conference couldn’t afford “too many vacancies.” And he’s right; Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) is hanging onto her seat by a 300-vote thread. By resigning now, Gaetz gives Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) time to call a special election to fill his seat. If he can’t do it by January 3, he can at least do it by January 20, when three other House seats would fall vacant by reason of Presidential appointments.

Detractors – and exculpatory evidence

Donald Trump’s announcement of his nomination of Matt Gaetz has electrified the right – and horrified the left. CNN’s Jake Tapper cried out that this was “Trump without the guardrails.” He then saw fit to try Gaetz’ House Ethics case on his show:

Gaetz is currently facing a House Ethics Committee investigation over whether he may have — and I should note, before I even outline the charges, Gaetz denies at all — but the House Ethics Committee in a statement earlier this year said they’re looking into whether he may have, quote, “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct,” unquote. Again, Gaetz denies at all.

By resigning when and as he did, Gaetz removes himself from the personal jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee. So anything the Ethics Committee was going to release, they must keep under seal. Jake Tapper violates ethical canons of his own by mentioning anything that, otherwise, might never see the light of day.

Geraldo Rivera used a literally nauseating metaphor to describe his own reaction to the nomination. The Gateway Pundit’s Cassandra MacDonald provided a transcript of his interview with NewsNation’s Leland Vittert – which, suitably Bowdlerized, follows:

Rivera: I think it is a horrible, creepy choice. I have no idea why he did it.

Vittert: The fact that all Democrats are doing, yourself included, is talking about how terrible Matt Gaetz is means they’re not talking about the things that actually the American people told us in this election they care about.

Rivera: Well, as I understand it, President Trump, President-elect Trump, was absolutely keen on ending the weaponization of the Justice Department. That guy is the weapon that Trump will use to destroy his enemies in the DOJ, wreck its independence.

Vittert: Hold on. Hold on. I have not heard him say once that he is going to use the Department of Justice or that he believes the Department of Justice should go after the enemies of Donald Trump.

Rivera: Matt Gaetz is the epitome of everything that is rotten in Washington. He is someone who is a privileged, entitled, backstabbing. There’s no way the Republicans in the Senate will confirm this man. He’ll make the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing look like a walk in the park. They will dig up everything about him.

In fact, at about the time of the “court filing” about the “drug-fueled party,” Gaetz dropped a five-post thread embedding photographs of his last letter to the Committee, and evidence he shared with them – evidence that the other person of interest, Joel Greenberg, had taken part in a plot to frame the congressman. Herewith the most relevant texts from the thread:

The Committee’s star witness, Joel Greenberg, is a felonious liar who involves others in his lies.

On July 10, 2024, I provided the Committee dispositive evidence of my innocence by producing a “smoking gun” contemporaneous, jailhouse writing, documenting the plot to frame me, which includes both Joel Greenberg and his victim. This was authenticated by two former federal agents who interviewed the jailhouse informant who revealed the plot against me.

This wasn’t the first - or even second - time Greenberg coordinated false smears of others in this manner.

Greenberg was initially indicted for attempting to falsely smear a teacher at a local high school as a pedophile. Thereafter, he was separately found by federal law enforcement to have possessed child pornography that he intended to use to frame his OWN attorney.

Greenberg had arranged for his victim to meet with an attorney of Greenberg’s choosing to orchestrate the plan to get Greenberg’s victim to lie about me. Greenberg texted another person that he was paying for his victim’s attorneys.

After the text messages admitting Greenberg was paying for his victim’s attorneys, he confessed his lies to a jailhouse informant, who he was sharing a holding cell with in 2021. This jailhouse informant sent a letter to my attorneys confirming Greenberg:

· ADMITTED authorities found records that he gave money to a 17-year-old on AND that he was charged with sex trafficking a minor.

· ADMITTED to fabricating NUMEROUS EVENTS that he told investigators, including claiming that he arranged for a minor to “hook up” with other people.

· Said investigators leaked the charges to the media.

· Wanted to “help the feds” to get his time reduced.

However, NONE of this has been enough for the Committee. It seems the fix is in. Their investigation exists to do what the voters of my district won’t - remove me from office. Therefore, I will no longer voluntarily participate in this regrettable abuse of the Committee.

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341409582846196

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341417950490987

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341424149721178

This, then, is why he resigned, in addition to giving Gov. DeSantis a pretext to call a special election immediately.

More of the silly season

Erick-Woods Erickson spun a wild theory that Trump can appear to be rewarding Matt Gaetz, knowing the Senate will never confirm him. He named six Senators whom he confidently expects to vote against confirming Gaetz:

• Susan Collins (RINO-Maine),

• Lisa Murkowski (RINO-Alaska),

• Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.),

• Tom Tillis (R-N.C.),

• Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and

• Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)

In fact, Senators Collins and Murkowski already said they would vote no. Jim Hoft noted that all six (except Markwayne Mullin, who is new) voted to confirm Merrick Garland. Confirming Gaetz would be the only way to wipe that stain off their respective escutcheons.

Dr. Steve Turley suggested that Trump has dared those Senators to vote against his nominee. The key: recess appointments were Trump’s price for staying out of yesterday’s Senate Leadership elections.

https://rumble.com/embed/v5n1wvn/?pub=4teej

Indeed, Speaker Johnson gave a ringing endorsement of Gaetz today.

Matt and I were classmates. We came to Congress at the same time in the 115th Congress in January 2017. And alphabetically, we’re seated right next to one another in Judiciary Committee. We serve there together for seven years. Some of you all who cover Judiciary know those are long meetings. So I got to know Matt very well.

I’ll say this. Everyone who has served with him will tell you he’s one of the most intelligent members of Congress. He’s an accomplished attorney. He’s very concerned about the lawfare that has been occurring in the Department of Justice under the Biden administration, and the fact that the American people have lost their faith in our institutions of justice because of everything that you’ve seen. He’s a reformer in his mind and heart, and I think that he’ll bring a lot to the table on that.

I think out of deference to us, he issued his resignation letter effective immediately of Congress. That caught us by surprise a little bit, but I asked him what the reasoning was, and he said, Well, you can’t have too many absences. So under Florida state law, there’s about an eight-week period to select and fill a vacant seat.

By doing so today, that allows me… I’ve already placed a call to Governor DeSantis in Florida and said, “Let’s start the clock.” He’s in Italy at the moment, and so we’re going to talk first thing in the morning about this. If we start the clock now, if you do the math, we may be able to fill that seat as early as January 3rd when we take the new oath of office for the new Congress.

Matt would have done us a great service by making that decision as he did on the fly. We’re grateful for that. So we move forward.

Look, I’ll say this… People have asked me all day long, President Trump is poaching all of your talent. Yes, we have an embarrassment of riches here. The Republican Conference is full of talented people who are extraordinary leaders and have great expertise. Everyone in this conference could serve in a leadership position in the administration.

Erickson insists that Florida can’t make the January 3 date. But considering how little he knows how people (other than himself) feel about anything, we can discount that misgiving.

The debate on Gaetz’ nomination – and those of three other Republicans in the House – will not take place until January. By then, all members of the Senate Republican Conference will have had time to digest the implications of the nominations. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), incoming Senate Majority Leader, has pledged the swiftest possible confirmation process. Time will tell as to whether he means what he says.

Link to:

The article:

https://cnav.news/2024/11/14/news/matt-gaetz-getting-trump-treatment/

Video:

Matt Gaetz in the spotlight:

https://cnav.news/2023/05/03/news/matt-gaetz-aoc-team-up-to-stop-congressional-stock-trading/

https://cnav.news/2022/11/09/foundation/constitution/red-wave-meets-blue-seawalls/

https://cnav.news/2023/10/03/news/gaetz-files-motion-vacate-chair/

https://cnav.news/2023/10/26/editorial/talk/mike-johnson-speaker-how/

https://cnav.news/2024/09/13/accountability/executive/trump-won-debate-merrick-garland-pep-rally/

https://cnav.news/2024/09/11/news/trump-played-harris-draw/

Allegations about the 17-year-old girl:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/us/politics/matt-gaetz-sex-trafficking-investigation.html

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/545648-matt-gaetz-under-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-relations-with-17-year-old/

https://newrepublic.com/article/161876/matt-gaetzs-trumpian-defense-allegations-sex-trafficking

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/politics/matt-gaetz-justice-department/index.html

https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2018/05/09/show-me-the-man-and-ill-show-you-the-crime/

Still a target:

https://www.notus.org/florida/new-court-filings-matt-gaetz-dorworth-sex-party

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/conservatives-planning-nominate-challenger-house-speaker-mike-johnson/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/breaking-president-trump-announces-nomination-gop-rep-matt/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/matt-gaetz-resigns-congress-after-trump-taps-him/

Detractors – and exculpatory evidence:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/stunned-jake-tapper-responds-trump-nominating-gaetz-ag/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/unhinged-geraldo-rivera-says-he-threw-up-his/

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341409582846196

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341417950490987

https://x.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1839341424149721178

More carping – and endorsements:

https://ewerickson.substack.com/p/matt-gaetz-is-a-terrific-pick?publication_id=27843&post_id=151625509&isFreemail=true&r=it00v&triedRedirect=true

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/here-we-go-rino-senators-murkowski-collins-say/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/must-see-house-speaker-mike-johnson-delivers-gracious/

Declarations of Truth X feed:

https://x.com/DecTruth

Declarations of Truth Locals Community:

https://declarationsoftruth.locals.com/

Conservative News and Views:

https://cnav.news/

Clixnet Media

https://clixnet.com/

Does the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have a policy of selectively offering or withholding aid in a disaster area? And does that selectivity depend on the political holdings of people in such an area? That allegation has now developed, as surely as an organized criminal syndicate often unravels when authorities punish the first person who possesses the critical piece of incriminating knowledge. Now that Republicans have secured the House of Representatives, an investigation will happen. Even before then, developments have already proved the maxim that there is no honor between or among thieves.

The first disaster reports

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle. Her track seemed to cut the Panhandle off from the Peninsula, then moved through eastern Georgia, over the western tip of North Carolina, then across East Tennessee, and finally into Kentucky. There the storm track curved back on itself, and Helene finished as a “tropical low” over Louisville. (Source: WXIA-TV, Channel 11, Atlanta, Georgia.)

More than 200 people died of the usual immediate violent events – drowning, falling objects, etc. 1000 more turned up missing. The storm knocked out electricity, natural gas, and water to millions of people. It tore up roads and washed out bridges, thus cutting many people off from food or shelter. Western North Carolina, including Asheville, suffered the worst. In some cases the storm destroyed historical structures. Nor did the toll confine itself to the track; Southwest Virginia also felt the effects.

Incidentally, several electric cars in Florida exploded after saltwater flooded them. Great American Electric Vehicle Road Test Failure, Round Two.

From the first, FEMA and Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) failed their missions. But at least two volunteer organizations – Samaritan’s Purse and The Cajun Navy – laid on a full disaster response. Not only that, but President Trump himself appeared and started delivering relief supplies. Trump and Elon Musk started an initiative to bring Starlink Internet service to the area. The federal government tried to claim credit for that, credit they didn’t deserve.

Election interference – which a former Obama adviser admitted

Then David Axelrod, a former Obama White House official, taunted conservatives with the suggestion that Western North Carolina residents might not be able to vote!

[Affected Democrats in Asheville, North Carolina are] upscale liberal voters, and they're probably going to figure out a way to vote. I'm not sure a bunch of these folks who had their homes and lives destroyed elsewhere, in western North Carolina, in the mountains, there are going to be as easy to wrangle for the Trump campaign.

As it happened, everyone in western North Carolina proved they would crawl over broken glass to vote! Happily, North Carolina’s legislature cleared some emergency election rules to allow Boards of Elections in the disaster zone to help each other handle one another’s voters. But soon a worse allegation emerged: that FEMA had spent all its money helping illegal aliens and had none for the rest of the hurricane season! Not only that, but more reports emerged alleging that FEMA was not helping and was stopping others from helping. Apparently they seized some shipments from private relief agencies so they could pretend to be bringing them in themselves. In one memorable episode, Elon Musk shamed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg into clearing some flights to deliver Starlink equipment.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Kamala Harris told disaster victims to apply to FEMA for “serious needs assistance,” amounting to a munificent $750. Worse, that’s a loan – using one’s house as collateral.

Other reports came out, none flattering. FEMA turns out to have a “slush fund” of unspent money from previous disasters. But then, CNAV heard directly from a witness from the disaster area. That witness credited Elon Musk, Samaritan’s Purse, Mercury One, Hearts with Hands, Chabad Charlotte, and the Red Cross. But she did not credit FEMA at all.

FEMA is getting really bad reviews here. Terrible. So far all I've heard that they've done is ordering volunteer pilots, search and medical teams out of the state on threat of arrest and seizure of licenses. FEDGOV wants to be the only hero. None of these volunteer teams are operating like Lone Rangers—they all coordinate through local authorities.

Private agencies took over, while FEMA interfered

The private agencies that witness mentioned, along with the Cajun Navy, did indeed take over. But the government response was incompetent, or worse. In one case, a National Guard helicopter damaged some relief goods with a “wash” from its main rotor.

As Hurricane Milton approached Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) expressed a willingness to talk to President Biden – but not Vice-President Harris. More to the point, in his Executive Order ahead of Milton, DeSantis withheld from his temporary emergency surrogate any authority to ban or limit the sale, transport, or other “disposition” of firearms.

From the RealClear Foundation came other reports of less-than-exemplary performance by the government. This included a delayed response to Hurricane Helene by military forces tasked with disaster relief. A North Carolina political consultant pointed out that Hurricane Helene did indeed destroy “election infrastructure.” Happily the people in the disaster area figured out how to vote – and Trump carried North Carolina. Not even Lawyer Marc Elias is contesting that.

While one RealClear correspondent tried to whitewash FEMA involvement, a guest correspondent in North Carolina soundly disputed that. She also described how western North Carolinians did indeed crawl over broken glass to vote.

The FEMA selective aid directives

Which brings us to the story that Leif Le Mahieu of The Daily Wire uncovered last Friday. FEMA Supervisor Marn’i Washington issued a set of “best practices” to personnel responding to Lake Placid, Florida, after Hurricane Milton. Among these “best practices,” along with taking frequent water breaks and not eating too much salt, was this gem:

Avoid homes advertising Trump.

https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1854999583790911770

Toward the end of October, and into November before the election, FEMA operatives, following this “best practice,” skipped 20 homes. Of course, a worker must log the reason for skipping over a property. Many wrote “property inaccessible” – though it was. But some – either brazenly or in protest – wrote things like:

Trump sign. No entry per leadership.

Several employees, reporting anonymously, shared hard evidence with Mr. Le Mahieu. This included photographs of the “best practices” list on a Microsoft Teams message, and some of those log entries. Said one:

I know they’re short-staffed, I thought we could go help and make a difference. When we got there we were told to discriminate against people. It’s almost unbelievable to think that somebody in the federal government would think that’s okay…

I volunteered to help disaster victims, not discriminate against them. It didn’t matter if people were black, white, Hispanic, for Trump, for Harris. Everyone deserves the same amount of help.

Chad Hershey, Marn’i Washington’s immediate boss, took note. Then when the story broke, a FEMA spokesperson released this statement:

While we believe this is an isolated incident, we have taken measures to remove the employee from their role and are investigating the matter to prevent this from happening ever again. The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes and we are reaching out to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this incident.

This is a matter that we take extremely seriously and we are doing everything we can to make sure all survivors receive support from FEMA. To date, we have helped over 365,000 households impacted by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the state of Florida and have provided over $898 million in direct assistance to survivors.

We are horrified that this took place and therefore have taken extreme actions to correct this situation and have ensured that the matter was addressed at all levels. Helping people is what we do best and our workforce across the agency will continue to serve survivors for as long as it takes.

Ms. Washington went on administrative leave. But Gov. DeSantis was outraged.

The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris administration is in its final days. At my direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump. New leadership is on the way in DC, and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired.

https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1855030970140770445

So were several Members of the House and Senate.

FEMA did fire Marn’i Washington, and its chief administrator, Deanne Criswell, released this statement:

More than 22,000 FEMA employees every day adhere to FEMA’s core values and are dedicated to helping people before, during and after disasters, often sacrificing time with their own families to help disaster survivors. Recently, one FEMA employee departed from these values to advise her survivor assistance team to not go to homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Trump. This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation. This was reprehensible.

I want to be clear to all of my employees and the American people, this type of behavior and action will not be tolerated at FEMA and we will hold people accountable if they violate these standards of conduct.

We take our mission to help everyone before, during and after disasters seriously. This employee has been terminated and we have referred the matter to the Office of Special Counsel. I will continue to do everything I can to make sure this never happens again.

In other words, Administrator Criswell threw her employee under the bus. She should have known that wouldn’t satisfy. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) demanded more answers from Criswell and her boss, SecHomeSec Alejandro Mayorkas. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent his own letter to the HomeSec Inspector General.

FEMA officials discriminated against Trump voters? Totally illegal. I’m asking the Inspector General to launch a full investigation immediately. Everyone involved needs to be identified, fired - and if necessary, prosecuted.

https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1855349287963783326

Further investigations – and a rat-out

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, promised an investigation of his own. Hearings will begin on November 19. Furthermore, Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) promised yet another investigation, asking whether FEMA pulled that stunt in his State. Lake Placid, Florida residents now know about the “best practices,” and naturally they are reacting in outrage. At least one homeowner received a FEMA crew who sheepishly admitted to trying to “make things right” after a skip-over.

And this morning came the Big Rat-out. Marn’i Washington, in an interview with YouTube channel operator Roland S. Martin, said this happens all the time. It is part of de-escalation, she said.

FEMA always preaches avoidance first and then de-escalation, so this is not isolated. This is a colossal event of avoidance not just in the state of Florida, but you will find avoidance in the Carolinas. Senior leadership will lie to you and tell you that they do not know.

https://x.com/leif_lemahieu/status/1856365388071669903

In other words, someone, at the highest echelons of FEMA, has determined that Trump supporters are psychopaths – the sort of people who would kill a FEMA crewmember as casually as another person would buy a quart of milk. Or so that person, or persons, would have people believe. Only that could rationally explain a policy of a priori avoidance of people flying the flags of any Presidential candidate.

In fact, this supervisor told Martin that she acted after residents flying Trump flags showed hostility to her crews. She even said she sent a message to her own boss, saying, “We are not canvassing this street further.” That boss, writing back, said, “Great decision. Thanks for the update.”

If that boss was Supervisor Chad Hershey, then Messrs. Martin and Mahieu have just caught him out in a lie.

Summary

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) (pronounced STOO-Bee), yesterday, told Fox News that he suspected that Marn’i Washington’s acts were not isolated, but commonplace. (Source: Jim Hoft, The Gateway Pundit.)

The FEMA administration wants to say this was an isolated incident, but there is alleged text messages from Washington, DC to the supervisor advising them and directing them to do this. So somebody higher up within FEMA was advising the people on the ground to do this. So if it was happening in Lake Placid, I can guarantee you it was happening in other places all across the great state of Florida and the country.

Where he got his information, is not clear. But it is entirely consistent with Marn’i Washington’s rat-out of her bosses this morning. Of course she would have motive to implicate her bosses, truthfully or falsely. But Rep. Steube would not have a motive to lie. For FEMA to have anyone in its employ, who so took matters into her own hands, would be shame enough on the agency. Obviously the agency knew perfectly well that they are not dealing with psychopathic “political hostiles.” Else Supervisor Hershey would not have said what he said, and neither would Administrator Criswell.

But a widespread program to deny aid to Trump supporters is consistent with every report CNAV has read or received. CNAV has a witness to the untoward attitude of FEMA, including trying to be the only heroes. And though SecTrans Buttigieg did curtail apparent interference (by the FAA), SecHomeSec Mayorkas did not.

Fortunately, not only did Trump win, but Republicans also captured the Senate and retained control of the House of Representatives. Furthermore, Elon Musk himself is in line to become Trump’s Efficiency Czar. Therefore we can be sure that a thorough investigation will take place – as it should.

Link to:

The article:

https://cnav.news/2024/11/12/news/fema-aid-withholding-policy/

Video:

Hurricane Helene earlier reports:

https://www.11alive.com/article/weather/hurricane/hurricane-helene-storm-path/85-779edfcc-fa85-46a3-87a2-ac3c0d217e3b

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/09/i-was-commanding-biden-snaps-reporter-asking-why/

https://www.wavy.com/news/virginia/governor-youngkin-gives-update-in-aftermath-of-hurricane-helene/

https://cnav.news/2024/01/18/editorial/talk/electric-vehicle-test-drive-fails/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/01/news/leadership-contrast-disaster-wake/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/03/news/bullies-overgrown/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/04/accountability/executive/helene-hurricane-election-interference/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/09/accountability/executive/north-carolina-changes-election-rules/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/07/accountability/executive/fema-gets-worse-reviews/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/08/news/disaster-relief-compounding/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/10/accountability/executive/desantis-harris-selfish-biden-gracious/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/16/accountability/executive/delayed-federal-dod-response-hurricane-helene/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/21/accountability/executive/hurricane-helene-political-disaster/

https://cnav.news/2024/10/25/accountability/executive/helene-after-deluge/

The FEMA selective aid story and the Leif Le Mahieu series:

https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs

https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1854999583790911770

https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-house-gop-investigating-fema-after-official-told-relief-workers-to-ignore-trump-supporters

https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1855030970140770445

https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-fema-fires-official-who-told-hurricane-relief-workers-to-skip-trump-homes

https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-senator-demands-mayorkas-answer-over-fema-employee-guidance-to-skip-trump-homes

https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/FILE_9844.pdf

https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1855349287963783326

https://www.dailywire.com/news/oversight-committee-to-grill-fema-chief-over-directive-to-skip-trump-homes

https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-to-investigate-fema-after-guidance-to-skip-trump-homes

https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-think-its-horrible-florida-residents-react-after-fema-workers-skip-homes-because-of-trump-flags-signs

https://www.dailywire.com/news/fired-fema-employee-speaks-out-says-it-was-not-isolated-incident-colossal-event-of-avoidance?topStoryPosition=3

https://x.com/leif_lemahieu/status/1856365388071669903

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/rep-greg-steube-fema-scandal-larger-than-thought/

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https://declarationsoftruth.locals.com/

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https://cnav.news/

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