Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Yakima Herald Republic Online-Those involved in Katrina fraud should repay

Yakima Herald Republic Online - Home Page - Yakima, Washington News, Classifieds, Information, Advertising: "Those involved in Katrina fraud should repay

Government investigators have discovered that Hurricane Katrina relief efforts were bilked out of some $1.4 billion that went for everything from season football tickets to pricey hotel rooms in Hawaii.
And while we're appalled, we're frankly not surprised at such a display of greed and corruption of well-intentioned efforts to help. It is a sad testimonial to the reality that no matter the extent of a tragedy, there are those who will exploit it.

Obviously the oft-criticized Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to work on its allotment procedures. But we don't intend to engage in FEMA-bashing that was so justifiably prevalent in the wake of the agency's response to the tragedy. That's because we don't want to see the generous and compassionate response of concerned Americans and their government diminished in future natural disasters because of the threat of a few who stoop to this type of rerouting of money intended for helpless victims."

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