Beck: Actions of FEMA videographer indicate assault on “faith”

Beck uses actions of single FEMA videographer to attack Obama administration. On the May 19 edition of Fox News' Glenn Beck, Beck said of an incident which occurred at a tornado cleanup site in Mississippi on May 15:

BECK: We have an update, right off the top of the show, from yesterday's program, where Obama, we told you, is merging faith and the EPA. Here's the latest, let me show you the T-shirt. See this T-shirt? The Salvation Army. A FEMA videographer asked volunteers to change out of this shirt -- “Doing the Most Good, The Salvation Army” -- after a cleanup of a tornado because they didn't want any religious reference. FEMA. The Salvation Army logo. They are destroying charity and our faith. Restore it, and the truth, with me.

FEMA administrator, regional coordinator said videographer was wrong and apologized

FEMA administrator Fugate: Videographer was “absolutely wrong.” On May 18, the Associated Press reported that FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said the videographer, Michael Mancino, “was 'absolutely wrong' to ask” the volunteers to remove their shirts, and stated that the videographer's actions “in no way reflect FEMA's policies or priorities.”

Fugate reportedly apologized to the Salvation Army, church to which the volunteers belonged. The Associated Press further reported that Fugate “apologized to Crossgates Baptist [Church] and to the Salvation Army.” Jackson, Mississippi's CBS affiliate WJTV subsequently reported that Salvation Army “is accepting FEMA's apology.”

Regional FEMA coordinator Bolch offered “sincere apology” for incident. In an interview with WJTV, regional FEMA coordinator Mike Bolch said he wanted to express his “most sincere apology from me, from my staff, from the whole FEMA organization. We regret the incident occurred. If there's any way to take it back, we certainly would take it back.” Bolch also said that the videographer “made an error in judgment.”

Videographer Mancino reportedly admitted “poor judgement.” WJTV reported that Mancino “admitted to using 'poor judgement.' ” In his interview, Bolch stated that he had spoken to Mancino, and that Mancino has “expressed a deep, deep regret” that the incident occurred.

Videographer reportedly fired. On May 19, AOLNews.com reported that Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) “said he was told by Fugate that Mancino had been fired. FEMA has not commented on disciplinary action taken against the photographer.”

FEMA coordinator: Videographer was not instructed to tell volunteers to remove shirts

Bolch: Videographer was alone, made “independent decision.” From Bolch's WJTV interview:

INTERVIEWER: And again, you're telling me that he made this decision on his own, there was not a public affairs officer directing him, instructing him what to do?

BOLCH: To the best of my knowledge, that's correct.

INTERVIEWER: But again, the investigation isn't --

BOLCH: The investigation is not 100 percent complete. I do not have a final report.

INTERVIEWER: So is it possible that the investigation could find that someone else directed him, someone else higher up or a PAO instructed him to tell folks to take off their T-shirts, take off those T-shirts?

BOLCH: Well, I don't know what the investigation is going to report, but my understanding from talking to the video photographer was that there was nobody there. He had made the decision to go to the scene. He just happened upon these people; this wasn't prearranged or anything. He didn't -- like I said, he was in Holmes County, near Ebenezer. He saw them, he thought it was a good opportunity to get one more little clip for the footage we're trying to put together, and he made that independent decision.

FEMA coordinator: “We value faith-based organizations”

Bolch: “We take [the incident] very seriously.” During his WJTV interview, Bolch said that Fugate had called Rep. Harper to apologize, adding that “We take it very seriously. Like I said, we value faith-based organizations. We value all volunteers that are working to help people out there in the field. We want to be there to support them. That's FEMA's mission.”