Door-to-door COVID shot pushers coming to Fort Bend County, TX

The agreement is an effort to encourage more people in the county to get the COVID jab and Fort Bend County Commissioners just approved spending $350,000 of your hard-earned tax dollars to accomplish exactly that.

The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court agenda item for July 13, 2021 read: 

"Take all appropriate action on Agreement between Fort Bend County and Next Wave Strategies, LLC for Community Vaccine Outreach, pursuant to RFP 21-077, in an amount not to exceed $350,000. (Fund: FEMA-Public Assistance)" 

and linked to a copy of the agreement document.

Teaming up with county elected officials, the Fort Bend County Health Department, DHS/FEMA and the Texas Department of Emergency Management, Community Vaccine Outreach services consultant Next Wave Strategies will develop a messaging and eventual door-to-door "canvass" to provide information to all you "high resistors" out there.

Check out this video of the audience reaction as County Judge KP George lowers the hammer--think the attendees are happy about this?

President Donald J. Trump Approves Florida Disaster Declaration

Late last night the Office of the Press Secretary for President Donald J. Trump issued a press release declaring a major disaster from Hurricane Dorian in the State of Florida. 

Palm Beach County is one of the Florida counties affected by Hurricane Dorian; surely the Palm Beach Post will write an article about the Presidential declaration.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 21, 2019

President Donald J. Trump Approves Florida Disaster Declaration   Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Dorian from August 28 to September 9, 2019.   Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Dorian in the counties of Brevard, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Martin, Nassau, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, and St. Lucie. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Pete Gaynor, Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. McCool as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

Current, former federal employees indicted: used private email, failed to disclose conflicts of interest

There's news out of the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney's Office about two federal employees; one current and one former alleged to have communicated in the line of their government duties using private email and personal cell phones. It's further alleged the former federal employee failed to disclose a personal conflict of interest while applying for employment with a government contractor.

The Justice Department announced their arrest and indictment on 15 federal charges today (emphasis mine):

San Juan, Puerto Rico:

" Ahsha Nateef Tribble, a FEMA Region II, Deputy Regional Administrator; Donald Keith Ellison, former President of Cobra Acquisitions, LLC; and Jovanda R. Patterson, a.k.a. “Jo/Jojo,” former FEMA Deputy Chief of Staff, have been indicted and arrested on charges of: conspiracy to commit bribery of public officials; acts affecting a personal financial interest; false statements; disaster fraud; honest services wire fraud, Travel Act violations, and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), conducted the investigation with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

The indictment alleges that the defendants used Tribble’s positions in FEMA to benefit and enrich themselves and defraud the United States. Following the passage of Hurricane María over Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, Ahsha Nateef Tribble, Donald Keith Ellison, and Jovanda R. Patterson came to Puerto Rico as part of the recovery and restoration of Puerto Rico’s electric power grid. In Tribble’s position as Sector Lead and Deputy Director, she reported directly to the Federal Coordinating Officer and was FEMA’s primary leader as to the restoration of electric power on the island. "

Count 1 of the Indictment charges Tribble and Ellison with a conspiracy to commit bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 based on soliciting and giving things of value to Tribble in order to influence Tribble’s performance of official acts as a FEMA employee. To further the conspiracy, Tribble and Ellison communicated using private email accounts, private cellular telephones, including a disposable prepaid cellular number, Apple iMessage, and SMS texts rather than FEMA issued email accounts or cellular telephones."

Read the rest here

President Donald J. Trump’s FEMA Briefing on Hurricane Dorian

Moments ago the White House Press Office released photos and details on the Hurricane Dorian briefing President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received from FEMA. 

Photos from President Donald J. Trump’s FEMA Briefing on Hurricane Dorian

President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received a briefing on hurricane Dorian, a potentially life threatening and extremely dangerous storm, from Acting Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) Pete Gaynor and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction Dr. Neil Jacobs yesterday.  The President was provided an overview of the hurricane’s impact on Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and neighboring islands, and the ongoing response efforts there. President Trump directed Federal agencies to continue their efforts to protect lives, promote preparedness efforts, and expedite authorized assistance to areas that have been affected and are still in the path of this dangerous storm during this federally supported, State-managed, and locally executed disaster response.  The President also commended the FEMA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) teams for their hard work during this storm.  He urged Federal officials to help get the word out to those in hurricane Dorian’s path, to follow the directions of State and local officials and emergency responders, and to heed evacuation orders.  The President and Vice President are praying for those who have been affected by, and will potentially face, this hurricane.