FEMA Funnels Money Pat Robertson's Way

In the days after Hurricane Katrina hit, FEMA designated "Operation Blessing" as the number two charity for donations.

Operation Blessing was founded by television preacher Pat Robertson, who just days before the hurricane suggested the US assassinate Venezula's President, Hugo Chavez. President Chavez later came through with charitible donations of fuel and cash to the hurricane zone.

Operation Blessing's latest IRS reports shows that it gives most of it's money to Mr Robertson's TV network.

After Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast and the extent of the death and damage began to come into focus, Mr Robertson went on that network of his and suggested the storm -- and the media attention it drew away from other news stories -- was a windfall for President Bush's Supreme Court nominee:

"Judge Roberts can be thankful that a tragedy has brought him some good.” —Rev. Pat Robertson on his 700 Club tv show

Even as Brother Pat was sticking his foot in his mouth about what a "blessing" Katrina was turning out to be, FEMA was directing tens of millions of dollars toward his charity.

FEMA put out a list of suitable charities for private contributors to support. Only the American Red Cross got a higher mention.

This is despite less than charitable things investigators have said about Operation Blessing over the years. It's latest IRS filing shows the charity gave more than half of it's money last year -- or about $880,000 -- to Preacher Robertson's CBN TV network -- not to charitible causes.

God help us. (ABCNews)