Democrats say Gregg Phillips, a top official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is unfit for his role after making claims that he has been teleported, including to a Waffle House. Phillips was appointed to lead FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery in December. His past rhetoric about immigrants, violent statements about President Biden, and claims of teleportation have raised concerns among lawmakers.
Phillips was scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday during a hearing on the DHS shutdown. However, he was unexpectedly replaced by FEMA’s external affairs associate, Victoria Barton. During the hearing, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., called Phillips’s absence due to an “emergency” and criticized his qualifications and behavior. Thompson also cited Phillips’s past comments, including a statement about wanting to punch Biden and wishing him dead.
Thompson and other lawmakers questioned Phillips’s suitability for a leadership role amid ongoing scrutiny of FEMA’s management. Democratic Rep. Tim Kennedy called Phillips “wildly unfit” and expressed his intent to question him about conspiracy theories, violent statements, and bigoted remarks. Kennedy also pointed to Phillips’s bizarre claim of teleportation as evidence of his unsuitability.
FEMA has faced increased scrutiny during the recent government shutdown, which has lasted over 30 days. The agency’s Disaster Relief Fund has dwindled to $3.6 billion, limiting its capacity to respond to disasters. Barton warned that the shutdown hampers FEMA’s ability to provide recovery efforts, especially with hurricane season approaching. She emphasized that the ongoing shutdown poses serious risks to disaster preparedness and response efforts nationwide.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
