Congressional Trip to Haiti: "We Didn't See the Red Cross Anywhere"

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Thursday, 08 April 2010 11:12
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) told a Florida radio station upon returning from a congressional trip to Haiti that, "we didn't see the Red Cross anywhere, at all," reports Michael O'Brien for Politico's Blog Briefing Room. O'Brien writes:
The Florida congresswoman said that what she saw gave her pause in recommending the Red Cross as a venue for donations. "I wouldn't say that," she said when asked if the Red Cross was the best place for listeners to donate, adding later that she could not "unequivocally" recommend the relief group.

Millions of dollars have flowed into Haiti since a large earthquake devastated its capital, Port au Prince, in late January.
Wasserman Schultz also opened the door to possible congressional inquiries into the work of the Red Cross in Haiti, reports O'Brien.

The comments from Wasserman Schultz echo a report last week on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, which looked into the American Red Cross' relief efforts.

NBC correspondent Robert Bazell said that on the ground there was little evidence of the American Red Cross' presence, despite receiving nearly $400 million in donations.

Tags: aid distribution | ngos | red cross