How Did Michael Brown Become FEMA Director with Questionable Credentials?

[Astronuc]

You just reminded me of the judge who made the slum lord live in one of his slums as punishment. You don't suppose we could make Brownie do the same?

Community service in New Orleans, on the east side of town.

 

[faust9]

Brown is still on the FEMA payroll to "download" his knowledge:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/22/national/main878583.shtml

 

[Astronuc]

Ex-FEMA Director Brown Blames Others

By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Former FEMA director Michael Brown blamed others for most government failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina on Tuesday, especially Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. He aggressively defended his own role.

Brown also said that in the days before the storm, he expressed his concerns that "this is going to be a bad one" in phone conversations and e-mails with President Bush, White House chief of staff Andy Card and deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin.

And he blamed the Department of Homeland Security — the parent agency for the Federal Emergency Management Agency — for not acquiring better equipment ahead of the storm.

His efforts to shift blame drew sharp criticism from Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike.

"I'm happy you left," said Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn. "That kind of look in the lights like a deer tells me you weren't capable of doing that job."

Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., told Brown: "The disconnect was, people thought there was some federal expertise out there. There wasn't. Not from you."

Brown appeared before a special congressional panel set up by House Republican leaders to investigate the catastrophe.

"My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday that Louisiana was dysfunctional," two days before the storm hit, Brown said.

Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. told Brown: "I find it absolutely stunning that this hearing would start out with you, Mr. Brown, laying the blame for FEMA's failings at the feet of the governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans."

Brown is not making friends nor influencing people in Washington. Obviously he did not take the Dale Carnegie course.

 

[faust9]

By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer





Brown is not making friends nor influencing people in Washington. Obviously he did not take the Dale Carnegie course.

Oddly enough Brown's reasoning is often associated with criminal behavior where the criminal is never at fault. Here too, Brown admitted making mistakes but still tried to push the blame to others. It was not his fault! You can't expect him to call the govenor of LA or the Mayor of NO and ask "Who's in charge and what's the next step?" or "How will we proceed if this is a cat-5 when it hits?" or "What happens of there is extensive flooding?" or "Do you have the manpower and equipment to meet your needs? Please elaborate."

You'd think the FEMA director would have asked these or similar questions but it's not Brown's fault.

 

[faust9]

If at first you don't succeed lie, lie again. http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/27/brown-false-smear/

 

[Gokul43201]

'Can I quit now?' FEMA chief wrote as Katrina raged
E-mails give insight into Brown's leadership, attitude

Thursday, November 3, 2005; Posted: 10:35 p.m. EST (03:35 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Louisiana congressman says e-mails written by the government's emergency response chief as Hurricane Katrina raged show a lack of concern for the unfolding tragedy and a failure in leadership.

More quotes from the article (these about Brown's emails) :

"Can I quit now? Can I come home?" Brown wrote to Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs, the morning of the hurricane.

A few days later, Brown wrote to an acquaintance, "I'm trapped now, please rescue me."

"In the midst of the overwhelming damage caused by the hurricane and enormous problems faced by FEMA, Mr. Brown found time to exchange e-mails about superfluous topics," including "problems finding a dog-sitter," Melancon said.

Melancon said that on August 26, just days before Katrina made landfall, Brown e-mailed his press secretary, Sharon Worthy, about his attire, asking: "Tie or not for tonight? Button-down blue shirt?"

A few days later, Worthy advised Brown: "Please roll up the sleeves of your shirt, all shirts. Even the president rolled his sleeves to just below the elbow. In this [crisis] and on TV you just need to look more hard-working."

On August 29, the day of the storm, Brown exchanged e-mails about his attire with Taylor, Melancon said. She told him, "You look fabulous," and Brown replied, "I got it at Nordstroms. ... Are you proud of me?"

An hour later, Brown added: "If you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god," according to the congressman.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/03/brown.fema.emails/index.htmlAn anlysis of Brown's emails : http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/images/11/03/brown.emails.analysis.pdf

 

[Ivan Seeking]

"Trust Bush, he puts quality people in charge", they said.

Even in in the most forgiving light, is it any surprise that we invaded a country and killed tens of thousands of people by mistake?

 

[rachmaninoff]

Why isn't this a felony?