FEMA contractor billed $325 an hour while tied to DOGE member's firm
Court documents reveal that FEMA’s so-called “shadow administrator,” Kara Voorhies, was paid through a subcontractor owned by DOGE operative Kyle Schutt from fall 2025 to spring 2026.
Recent court filings detail that Kara Voorhies, labeled the “shadow administrator” of FEMA, was simultaneously employed by a private firm she created, LV Consulting, which subcontracted to AnchorCode Technologies, a business owned by Department of Government Efficiency member Kyle Schutt. From fall 2025 through spring 2026 she received $325 per hour for reviewing high-value contracts and grants, a role that congressional Democrats say gave her excessive power to influence awards and punish entities.
Federal law bars contractors from performing inherently governmental functions, and ethics experts note the lack of required disclosures or cooling-off periods. The arrangement bypassed the System for Award Management, and neither DHS, FEMA, nor the firms responded to inquiries. The revelations add to broader concerns about DOGE members leveraging government positions for private gain amid ongoing lawsuits over federal workforce cuts.
Why it matters
It highlights potential conflicts of interest and ethics breaches in federal contracting, undermining trust in disaster-relief agencies.
In this story