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Employees from venture capital firm Insight Partners worked inside FEMA, sourcing coronavirus supplies from vendors using their personal Gmail accounts.
The program was part of a Jared Kushner-led private sector push. https://www.wsj.com/articles/volunteers-in-coronavirus-response-ruffle-some-at-fema-11587489141
Employees from venture capital firm Insight Partners worked inside FEMA, sourcing coronavirus supplies from vendors using their personal Gmail accounts.
The program was part of a Jared Kushner-led private sector push. https://www.wsj.com/articles/volunteers-in-coronavirus-response-ruffle-some-at-fema-11587489141
Sometimes they did not copy government addresses, leading some vendors to question the authenticity of the outreach.
In one case, FEMA advised a vendor to report the contact to police, not realizing at the time that the email had come from one of the volunteers.
In one case, FEMA advised a vendor to report the contact to police, not realizing at the time that the email had come from one of the volunteers.
FEMA staff didn't realize the volunteers were from an investment firm.
FEMA head Peter Gaynor and Rear Adm. John Polowczyk learned of the volunteers’ affiliation on Saturday when the WSJ asked FEMA for comment.
The volunteers had already been gone about a week by that point.
FEMA head Peter Gaynor and Rear Adm. John Polowczyk learned of the volunteers’ affiliation on Saturday when the WSJ asked FEMA for comment.
The volunteers had already been gone about a week by that point.
The project illustrates some of the issues that can arise from efforts to bring private-sector reinforcements to help government agencies during the crisis.
Government officials told WSJ everything was vetted and proper.
Government officials told WSJ everything was vetted and proper.
