It's not the seizing that bothers me. It's that I have not seen any (credible) stories of where the seized PPE goes.
So it's not going to them!
And is heavily involved with Republican heavyweights.
If anyone can explain how a new entrant into supply/distribution of medical equipment was started and got large supplies of critical and scarce equipment that is being actively confiscated by government agencies in orders from other countries/private US companies... I am all ears.
Technically it's more like choosing which doctors and nurses die based on political connections and electoral math, since somebody is still getting the stuff.
Which is still disgusting, but let's not pretend this is operating under a fundamentally different incentive system than the one in which Congress allocates tax dollars. If you want to fix it then fix the whole of it.
It describes an administrator meeting with shady brokers in a hanger at a small airport trying to buy masks contained in two food-delivery trucks.
The FBI checks in. As it should. Sounds shady as hell.
The FBI lets the shipment proceed.
Then the administrator pens a letter with his 'exciting day' story.
Big woop.
Ok... the FBI said everything is on the up-and-up and the trucks are heading out.
"But I was soon shocked to learn that the Department of Homeland Security was still considering redirecting our PPE."
Oh no! Our hero has suddenly divined that the entire Department of Homeland Security is planning to swoop in and intercept the trucks (that the FBI just sent on their way.)
What is our hero going to do? Who can save the masks from the nefarious DHS who, I'm sure, were even then sending agents out in black helicopters to finish the seizure that's the hapless FBI agents bungled?
"Only some quick calls leading to intervention by our congressional representative prevented its seizure."
Thank god! Where would we be without our auick-thinking administrator? A single phone call and he has saved the day! But, it wasn't without personal cost...
"I remained nervous and worried on the long drive back, feelings that did not abate until midnight, when I received the call that the PPE shipment was secured at our warehouse."
His angst and concern is moving. He deserves a raise. Where would we be without our hero?
You want to know what really happened? Some cubicle-dwelling administrator drives to a banger, gets scared shitless by FBI agents, and embellishes the story to impress the other cubicle-dwelling adminstrators.
This is not true at all. Congress controls the purse. CBP can ignore all they want, but they would probably be more pliable if they were not getting paid.
Also "...all civil officers of the United States" can be removed directly by the Senate. In practice this is limited to heads of agencies at the lowest but that is just a practice, anyone executing federal power is applicable.