Bureaucracy and Political Bias: Evidence from Floods

• In Event: Bias and Particularism in US Public Administration

Brief Overview

This study finds FEMA bureaucrats show political bias in flood aid decisions. Politically misaligned counties are 4%p less likely to be flagged for aid. This bias is reduced when career civil servants, not political appointees, are in charge.

Authors

• Seung Min Kim, Columbia University

• Hannah Farkas, Columbia University