Selective Oversight

by: Adam L

Fri Aug 26, 2011 at 09:07:00 AM EDT

The honor system never works well when there is public money for the taking. After Hurricane Katrina, Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, was vilified by pretty much everyone for not supporting emergency federal funding for victims, but he raised what later became a prescient point: That there wasn't proper oversight and without it, there would be widespread fraud and abuse.

As New Jerseyans brace for Hurricane Irene, we can only wonder what Representative Garrett will do if the need arises for FEMA funding in his district or if disaster hits here in northern New Jersey.  But based on his prior track record, it looks like unless we are a Republican linked "contractor" or financial industry crook, he'll once again leave us twisting in the wind - literally and figuratively.