Topline
The Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee will investigate the federal government and state of Hawaii’s response to the wildfires in Maui that have killed 115 people, a move that comes about a week after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) floated the idea of a probe and criticized President Joe Biden and other officials’ handling of the tragedy.
A resident looks around a charred apartment complex in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, … [+]
Key Facts
Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a statement provided to Forbes the committee will “examine” the federal response in Maui and work with other committees to ensure accountability and minimize “the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
Comer said the response by “federal, state, and local officials” raises serious questions, adding his committee has a responsibility to ensure the proper use of taxpayers’ money.
Comer’s stance was one echoed by McCarthy last week, when the House Speaker questioned how hundreds of people could be unaccounted for after the fire and said he would work with committees on an investigation, and called Biden’s earlier refusal to comment to a reporter on the fires “unacceptable,” according to multiple reports.
Details of the investigation weren’t provided by Comer, but questions have been raised about emergency response decisions made by county and state officials.
Chief Critic
In response to McCarthy’s comment, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday the federal government has deployed more than 1,000 staff members to Maui while the Federal Emergency Management Agency has already given nearly $15 million in assistance to families affected by the blazes.
Key Background
As of Monday, the Maui wildfire death toll was 115, with nearly 100% of the disaster area around the town of Lahaina searched, according to the county. The county released the names of nearly 400 people who were unaccounted for last week. Residents and politicians have scrutinized the response by federal, state, local and power company officials. The County of Maui has faced scrutiny for not using emergency sirens as fires ravaged the island, though Herman Andaya, the former head of Maui’s emergency management agency, said use of the sirens could have sent people into the fires instead of away from them. Additionally, a state water official with the Department of Land and Natural Resources reportedly delayed releasing water that residents wanted to use to combat fires, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Hawaii’s main utility company, Hawaiian Electric, has also faced scrutiny. The company has been hit with several lawsuits from residents and recently received another from Maui County, which alleged one of the fires was started due to Hawaiian Electric’s negligence. The utility firm denied the allegations Monday, saying its power lines were shut off hours before damage from the fire materialized.
Tangent
The House Oversight Committee is also investigating the Biden family’s business dealings and accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of helping cover up an alleged bribery scheme with foreign nationals. McCarthy said in an interview with Fox News Sunday that an impeachment inquiry into the president is a “natural step forward” following the committee’s probes into Biden. Lawmakers have raised questions about the president’s son Hunter Biden’s foreign dealings, including alleged efforts to cash in on his father’s name, but no solid evidence has materialized linking the president to Hunter Biden’s business ventures.
Further Reading
With The ‘Blame Game’ In Full Swing, Maui’s Road To Recovery Seems To Be Getting Longer (Forbes)
Hawaiian Electric Denies Starting Maui Fires—Share Price Jumps 47% (Forbes)