{"id":2644461,"date":"2026-08-13T14:33:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T18:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/moskowitzs-job-at-firm-accused-of-hurricane-price-gouging-resurfaces\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T14:39:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T18:39:00","slug":"moskowitzs-job-at-firm-accused-of-hurricane-price-gouging-resurfaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/moskowitzs-job-at-firm-accused-of-hurricane-price-gouging-resurfaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Moskowitz\u2019s job at firm accused of hurricane price-gouging resurfaces"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmoskowitzs-job-at-firm-accused-of-hurricane-price-gouging-resurfaces%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2644461&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), currently seeking reelection in a competitive Florida district, has come under scrutiny ahead of teh upcoming primary. His past work as general counsel for AshBritt, a disaster recovery and environmental services company, is being questioned due to its history of controversies, including accusations of price gouging and performance issues during disaster relief efforts. Moskowitz served in the Florida legislature from 2012 to 2019 and then worked in the governor\u2019s emergency management division.<\/p>\n<p>During his time at AshBritt, the company faced allegations of inflating prices following hurricanes, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and failing to deliver contracted services post-Hurricane Irma in Monroe County, Florida. The company also faced criticism in other states for overcharging and alleged misconduct, including a controversial no-bid contract in New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy and complaints of fraud related to wildfire cleanup in California.<\/p>\n<p>Despite denying wrongdoing, AshBritt requested a price increase shortly after Hurricane Irma, citing market disruptions, but later withdrew the request amid investigations. The company has also faced multiple lawsuits and federal audits over its contracts and practices. Critics, including opponents like GOP primary candidate Dan Franzese, argue Moskowitz prioritizes personal gain over public service amid these allegations. Moskowitz has not commented on these issues publicly. He is currently running against socialist Oliver Larkin in the Democratic primary scheduled for august 18.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Jared Moskowitz\u2019s (D-FL) prior job as general counsel for a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/natural-disasters\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"406\">disaster cleanup<\/a> company is coming under scrutiny just one week before <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"159\">Florida<\/a>\u2019s congressional primaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moskowitz, who is seeking reelection in a GOP-leaning seat, served in the Florida state Legislature from 2012 to 2019, when he joined Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ron-desantis\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"575\">Ron DeSantis\u2019s<\/a> administration as the director of the emergency management division.\u00a0But during his time as a state elected official, Moskowitz also worked for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jared-moskowitz-6a073410b\/details\/experience\/\">almost a decade<\/a> at AshBritt, a \u201crapid-response disaster recovery and special environmental services contractor.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4686548\/beshear-trump-not-briefed-kentucky-data-center\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Beshear says Trump did not brief him before Kentucky data center plan<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4685613\/moskowitz-job-hurricane-clean-up-company-resurfaces-florida-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Moskowitz\u2019s $445,000 job at hurricane clean-up company accused of price-gouging resurfaces in toss-up Florida race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4685059\/final-approval-tunnel-great-lakes-michigan\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>US issues final approval for tunnel connecting two Great Lakes<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The company has faced a string of controversies over the years, including being <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/florida-politicians-company-accused-hurricane-price-gouging\/\">accused of price gouging<\/a>. According to Moskowitz\u2019s financial disclosure, AshBritt paid him $445,658 in 2017 alone. In October of that same year, then-Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi launched an investigation into AshBritt over allegations that the company \u201cattempted to revise contracts by withholding performance until and unless governments paid increased rates.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2017, Moskowitz, in his capacity under AshBritt, requested a price increase on Sept. 28 for the company\u2019s contract with the city of Parkland, Florida.\u00a0The request came 18 days after Hurricane Irma, a category four storm, smashed into Florida, killing 84 people and causing more than $50 billion in damage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, Moskowitz and AshBritt chief executive Randy Perkins described the increase as based on market standards, citing market destabilization from the natural disasters. Florida and much of the southeastern United States experienced supply chain disruptions due to the \u201cquick succession\u201d of Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria, according to a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK556352\/\">study by the National Library of Medicine<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Government Accountability Office notes that the supply chain disruptions led to price <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/gao-18-472.pdf\">increases from contractors<\/a> \u201cdue to the high demand across Texas and other parts of Florida in the aftermath of the hurricanes.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, according to Parkland City Commission meeting minutes on Sept. 28, commissioners felt \u201cas though they were being held hostage\u201d by the price increase. Parkland\u2019s then-Mayor Christine Hunschofsky also expressed concern that the request was received late. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National Republican Congressional Committee Spokeswoman Maureen O\u2019Toole alleged in a statement that Moskowitz has \u201cmade a living out of squeezing taxpayers and stiffing workers all while lining his own pockets.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLazy little Jared Moskowitz doesn\u2019t care about defending those he purports to represent,\u201d O\u2019Toole wrote. \u201cThat\u2019s not the representative Floridians deserve, and they\u2019ll send him into retirement this November.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moskowitz declined to comment on this story. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AshBritt, in a motion to quash a subpoena issued by Bondi, said, \u201cWhile the Attorney General vaguely \u2013 and wrongly \u2013 accuses Ashbritt of price gouging, the facts reveal no foundation for the Subpoena or for the Attorney General\u2019s unreasonable demand for an enormous production of tens of thousands of documents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AshBritt denied wrongdoing. In its motion to quash the subpoena, the company argued that it was not seeking \u201cunconscionable\u201d prices from the municipalities it served and claimed its pricing structure was consistent with market conditions at the time and \u201cwell below the state-approved price for debris removal.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, AshBritt dropped its price increase request, telling the city commissioners on Oct. 11, amid the attorney general\u2019s inquiry, that \u201cconditions have changed yet again,\u201d and the company would honor the original pricing agreed to with the city. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Local governments in disaster relief zones are reimbursed for recovery costs by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with contracts subject to audits by both the Office of Inspector General and FEMA. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The controversy over the attempted price hike in Parkland was not the issue lobbed at AshBritt during Moskowtiz\u2019s tenure with the company.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AshBritt was accused of \u201cnot performing under terms\u201d of its debris removal contract in Monroe County, Florida, in the wake of Irma. Monroe County Mayor George Neugent specifically said the company failed to provide the agreed-upon number of trucks to help expedite post-hurricane cleanup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, Perkins reportedly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/em\/disaster\/County-Debris-Removal-Firm-Not-Performing-Well.html\">told commissioners<\/a> conflicting contracts from state managers \u201ccaused the absolute chaos and pandemonium in the Keys.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEvery truck that came in was poached by one of the FDOT contractors,\u201d Perkins told the commissioners. \u201cWe\u2019re paying a certain rate and [other contractors] can double or triple the rates we can pay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AshBritt also received complaints for work they did in California after the 2017 wildfires and in New Jersey in 2013. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In New Jersey, AshBritt was awarded a contract without bidding by then-Gov. Chris Christie\u2019s administration to help remove debris from Hurricane Sandy. The company expected to make more than $100 million off the contract.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet a local outlet, Asbury Park Press, found that AshBritt was charging nearly double what another Florida company charged for its services. The contract award was heavily scrutinized at the time and was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nj.com\/politics\/2014\/03\/audit_clears_christie_on_no-bid_sandy_contract_but_raises_other_questions.html\">subject to a federal audit<\/a>, though no wrongdoing was found. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In California, the company was among the targets of complaints from residents alleging that AshBritt, along with other hauling companies, paid by weight, dug up more dirt than necessary to inflate their earnings. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The complaints resulted <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.courthousenews.com\/wildfire-cleanup-firms-face-class-action-for-falsifying-data\/\">in a lawsuit<\/a>, in which AshBritt and another firm were accused of directing \u201cworkers under their control to commit such fraud on the United States government for the purpose of increasing their respective profits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>has reached out to AshBritt for comment. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dan Franzese, who is running in the GOP primary to face off against Moskowitz in November, said in a statement that it is \u201cnot surprising that Jared Moskowitz put personal and company profit ahead of vulnerable Floridians,\u201d pointing to stock trades by Moskowitz. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4585479\/jared-moskowitz-bid-competitive-florida-district-new-map\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4585479\/jared-moskowitz-bid-competitive-florida-district-new-map\/\">JARED MOSKOWITZ LAUNCHES BID IN COMPETITIVE FLORIDA DISTRICT REDRAWN UNDER NEW DESANTIS MAP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He continued, \u201cThere\u2019s clearly a pattern of Moskowitz putting himself first and Floridians last.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moskowitz is facing socialist Oliver Larkin in Florida\u2019s Democratic primary on Aug. 18.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moskowitz\u2019s disaster cleanup past faces scrutiny before FL primaries<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2912,"featured_media":2644462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25193638377394.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[45185,60773,84103,38118,77049],"class_list":["post-2644461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-consumer-protection","tag-corporate-ethics","tag-hurricane-price-gouging","tag-legal-controversy","tag-moskowitz"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25193638377394.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2912"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2644461"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2644466,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2644461\/revisions\/2644466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2644462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2644461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2644461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2644461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}