An investigation concerning Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long’s use of government vehicles while traveling to North Carolina from Washington has been referred to federal prosecutors, according to a report Monday.
Last week, it was reported that the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security was evaluating whether taxpayers’ dollars were improperly used to fund Long’s travel back to his home of Hickory, N.C., on the weekends. A staff driver was used by Long and his aides’ stayed in hotels, per Politico.
Those familiar with the investigation say that it has now been referred to federal prosecutors to evaluate if criminal charges should be issued, the Wall Street Journal reports.
A FEMA spokesperson declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal about the referral, as did the office of the inspector general.
Long said last week during a FEMA briefing that he will cooperate with probe.
“We’ll continue to fully cooperate with any investigation that goes on and own up to any mistakes and push forward and keep going,” Long said Thursday.
“I would never intentionally run a program incorrectly,“ he added. “Doing something unethical is not part of my DNA and it is not part of my track record in my whole entire career. We will work with the OIG.”
