A critical audit has unearthed a significant lapse in oversight during Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s tenure as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), revealing that over $1 billion in COVID-19 relief funds were disbursed without the required monitoring. The 2022 audit flagged that FDEM “did not monitor the activities of any subrecipients,” a stark deviation from federal regulations that mandate reviewing subrecipient audit reports and determining if management decisions are necessary for any audit findings. This lack of stringent oversight, which should typically include inquiries and on-site evaluations, applied to hundreds of millions in grants distributed in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. While Moskowitz resigned from his post before the end of the fiscal year, his opponent, Republican Scott Singer, contends that Moskowitz bears responsibility for this “gross lack of oversight.” Moskowitz’s campaign has defended his record, emphasizing his reappointment by a Republican governor and asserting that Florida’s COVID spending passed FEMA audits for reimbursements, while also highlighting past praise for his disaster recovery work from Singer himself. The resurfaced audit intensifies scrutiny on the handling of public funds as Moskowitz faces a competitive re-election bid.
Adapted from: Latest Political News on Fox News
