Washington, D.C.
FEMA chief under fire: Brock Long, the top official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, faces a criminal probe for improperly using government vehicles. The Department of Homeland Security inspector general had investigated whether Long and two FEMA officials violated ethics rules by using government Suburbans for weekend drives between Washington and Long’s home in Hickory, N.C. Long reportedly often traveled home on Thursdays with other officials in a caravan of government vehicles; employees stayed in hotels for the extended weekend. Long says he needed access to the vehicles for secure communications in case of a national emergency. Democrats’ calls for Long to step down had intensified after he backed President Trump in questioning the Puerto Rico death toll from Hurricane Maria. News of the probe also comes as FEMA mobilizes to respond to the devastation of Hurricane Florence.