Former Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Michael Brown blasted officials in Hawaii over their focus on “equity” prior to a deadly wildfire.
The West Maui Land Company accused M. Kaleo Manuel, an official with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), of delaying a response to a request to use water to refill reservoirs used by the Maui Fire Department to fight the wildfire, Hawaii News Now reported. A video of Manuel discussing the importance of having conversations about “equity” when it came to water use surfaced Thursday. (RELATED: ‘Horrible, Horrible Disservice’: Tulsi Gabbard Unloads On Biden Admin’s Response To Maui Wildfire)
WATCH:
“Equity? Are you freaking kidding me?” Brown asked Fox News host Laura Ingraham after she played the clip of Manuel. Brown noted that Pearl Harbor had a desalinization plant that could be used to make bottled water for residents, then was stunned by Manuel’s comments.
“With regard to actually releasing water for firefighters during a wildfire, and you’re talking about equity? My God, Laura, I didn’t expect to hear that on the program tonight. That’s absolutely unbelievable,” Brown said.
A wildfire on Maui destroyed many buildings in the town of Lahaina, killing at least 96 people as of Monday. Video posted on showed people fleeing into the ocean to escape the fire, which destroyed many cultural artifacts in the city that served as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Brown also took aim at FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell for not staying in Hawaii in the aftermath of the disaster.
“You have to be on the ground to make sure that everything can you coordinate is being coordinated,” Brown said. “Talking to the governor, talking to the emergency manager. Talking to the homeland security director. Talking to the volunteers on the ground. You got to be there to make sure everything’s done right. I know that from personal experience. What she is doing in D.C.?”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.