It’s curious when President Joe Biden’s administration decides that a state doesn’t meet the criteria for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds after a natural disaster — at least when the state is Florida.
Now, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is hitting back at Biden, saying “White House politics” is responsible for the decision.
If so, it wouldn’t be the first time the Biden administration had tried to hit Florida, including on COVID policy. The trend has only intensified as DeSantis has emerged as a prime contender for the presidency. We’ve been keeping the receipts here at The Western Journal — and we’ll continue to document the administration’s war on the Sunshine State. You can help us bring America the truth by subscribing.
According to Just the News, FEMA denied relief for seniors who were affected by tornadoes that hit southwest Florida in January.
CNN reported at the time that the tornadoes destroyed 28 homes in Lee County and rendered at least 62 more “unlivable,” according to Cecil Pendergrass, co-chairman of the county board of commissioners.
As Just the News noted, a final total 158 homes were either destroyed or took major damage in Charlotte and Lee counties.
A mobile home park in Charlotte County saw extensive damage after Sunday’s storms and tornadoes. The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Placida along Gasparilla road.@winknews pic.twitter.com/xibnMMJWed
— Michelle Alvarez WINK News (@malvareztv) January 17, 2022
The tornadoes also knocked out power for thousands of residents. Most of those in destroyed or damaged homes were seniors, with 84 percent dependent on Social Security money to survive.
Video from Iona — where one of the tornadoes touched down — showed how powerful the storms were.
More unbelievable video from Sunday’s EF2 tornado in Iona, Florida!
This was taken in the Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club. You can hear the sound of a freight train as the #tornado just missed the building.
Video sent in by a WINK viewer#weather #stormhour #florida #flwx #wx pic.twitter.com/jcTcB9YhvP
— Nash Rhodes (@NashWX) January 18, 2022
More destruction today from the Tropicana community in the Iona section of Fort Myers.
Remarkably, no serious injuries have been reported so far.@NWSTampaBay @NBC2 #Weather #Florida #Tornado pic.twitter.com/UloVrSSECU
— Pat Cavlin (@pcavlin) January 16, 2022
“The Florida Department of Emergency Management deployed disaster recovery teams to help residents and assess the damage. They worked with county and federal agencies, including FEMA agents who came to survey the damage in person,” Just the News reported.
“DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for both counties and requested a major disaster declaration from the Biden administration. Florida offered aid through its Individual Assistance program and requested assistance from FEMA.”
That aid wasn’t going to be in the cards.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told DeSantis in a letter that “the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies.”
“Accordingly, we have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary,” Criswell said.
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