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FEMA Chief Brown: Former head of the Arabian Horse Association Qualified to Manage Agency
We speak with Judd Legum from the Center of American Progress about FEMA's role in handling the catastrophe in the wake of hurricane Katrina. As the fallout from Hurricane Katrina continues, more is being revealed about FEMA's role in handling the catastrophe and the qualifications of the people in charge of the agency. Michael Brown heads FEMA and his official title is Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. President Bush merged the agency with the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. In the days after Katrina hit, Brown came under fierce criticism for his seemingly clueless and insensitive statements about the disaster that was unfolding in New Orleans. Last Thursday night, as ten of thousands of people waited in squalid conditions inside the New Orleans Convention Center desperate for food, water, and security, Brown told Paula Zahn's CNN that he was unaware of the conditions even though TV images had shown the plight of the people all day. Brown then appeared to lay blame on the victims of the hurricane when he responded to a question about the probable high death toll saying, "Unfortunately, that's going to be attributable a lot to people who did not heed the advance warnings."
And yesterday, newly leaked memos showed that FEMA waited five hours after Hurricane Katrina had struck New Orleans before requesting help to be dispatched to the region. Even then Brown said that the 1,000 Homeland Security employees could take two days to show up at the disaster scene. Brown's memo to Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff politely ended, "Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities." According to the Associated Press, Brown's memo lacked any urgent language besides describing the hurricane as a "near catastrophic event." Brown's memo also said that employees would be expected to "convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public." Yesterday, Brown held a press conference and was asked to respond to calls for his resignation. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has called for you resignation. I'm wondering if you have a response to that
* Micheael Brown, “The President's in charge of that, not me...I serve totally at the will of the President of the United States."
The Bush administration has staunchly defended Michael Brown. Last week, while admiting the federal response was not acceptable, Bush lauded Brown saying "Brownie, you"re doing a heck of a job." Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan became defensive when asked by reporters if Bush had continued confidence in Michael Brown and FEMA. In these past few days, information has come calling into question the qualifications of Brown and two of his top deputies. It turns out that none of them had virtually any real experience in emergency management before they joined FEMA.
* Judd Legum, Research Director at the Center for American Progress and co-editor of the Progress Report.
LISTEN ONLINE
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/08/142204
* Micheael Brown, “The President's in charge of that, not me...I serve totally at the will of the President of the United States."
The Bush administration has staunchly defended Michael Brown. Last week, while admiting the federal response was not acceptable, Bush lauded Brown saying "Brownie, you"re doing a heck of a job." Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan became defensive when asked by reporters if Bush had continued confidence in Michael Brown and FEMA. In these past few days, information has come calling into question the qualifications of Brown and two of his top deputies. It turns out that none of them had virtually any real experience in emergency management before they joined FEMA.
* Judd Legum, Research Director at the Center for American Progress and co-editor of the Progress Report.
LISTEN ONLINE
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/08/142204
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. disaster official Michael Brown, under fire over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, cited prior emergency-management experience in an official biography but his duties were "more like an intern," Time magazine reported.
Brown's biography on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site says he had once served as an "assistant city manager with emergency services oversight," and a White House news release in 2001 said Brown had worked for the city of Edmond, Oklahoma in the 1970s "overseeing the emergency-services division."
However, a city spokeswoman told the magazine Brown had actually worked as "an assistant to the city manager."
"The assistant is more like an intern," Claudia Deakins told the magazine. "Department heads did not report to him." Time posted the article on its Web site late on Thursday.
Brown, a lawyer, was appointed as FEMA's general counsel in 2001 and became head of the agency in 2003. The work in Edmond is the only previous disaster-related experience cited in the biographies. Brown served as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association before taking the FEMA job.
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (news, bio, voting record), a Connecticut Democrat, had cited Brown's Edmond experience as "particularly useful" for FEMA during a hearing in 2002.
Critics, including some Republicans, have blasted Brown for delays and missteps in the federal government's response to Katrina's deadly and devastating assault on New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast last week. Some have demanded his ouster.
Bush last week gave Brown a word of support, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
This week, Bush put the
U.S. Coast Guard's chief of staff in charge of the federal recovery effort in New Orleans and gave Vice President
Dick Cheney the job of cutting through bureaucratic delays.
BUSH TIES
The Washington Post reported on Friday that five of eight top FEMA officials had come to their jobs with virtually no experience in handling disasters. The agency's top three leaders, including Brown, had ties to Bush's 2000 presidential campaign or the White House advance operation.
Former Edmond city manager Bill Dashner recalled for Time that Brown had worked for him as an administrative assistant while attending Central State University.
"Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt," Dashner told Time.
Edmond's population is about 70,000.
In response to the Time report, FEMA issued a statement that took issue with elements related to an unofficial biography, and described his job in Edmond as "assistant to the city manager."
Brown "remains focused on helping Americans through the worst natural disaster in history," FEMA said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050909/pl_nm/brown_dc
Brown's biography on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site says he had once served as an "assistant city manager with emergency services oversight," and a White House news release in 2001 said Brown had worked for the city of Edmond, Oklahoma in the 1970s "overseeing the emergency-services division."
However, a city spokeswoman told the magazine Brown had actually worked as "an assistant to the city manager."
"The assistant is more like an intern," Claudia Deakins told the magazine. "Department heads did not report to him." Time posted the article on its Web site late on Thursday.
Brown, a lawyer, was appointed as FEMA's general counsel in 2001 and became head of the agency in 2003. The work in Edmond is the only previous disaster-related experience cited in the biographies. Brown served as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association before taking the FEMA job.
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (news, bio, voting record), a Connecticut Democrat, had cited Brown's Edmond experience as "particularly useful" for FEMA during a hearing in 2002.
Critics, including some Republicans, have blasted Brown for delays and missteps in the federal government's response to Katrina's deadly and devastating assault on New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast last week. Some have demanded his ouster.
Bush last week gave Brown a word of support, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
This week, Bush put the
U.S. Coast Guard's chief of staff in charge of the federal recovery effort in New Orleans and gave Vice President
Dick Cheney the job of cutting through bureaucratic delays.
BUSH TIES
The Washington Post reported on Friday that five of eight top FEMA officials had come to their jobs with virtually no experience in handling disasters. The agency's top three leaders, including Brown, had ties to Bush's 2000 presidential campaign or the White House advance operation.
Former Edmond city manager Bill Dashner recalled for Time that Brown had worked for him as an administrative assistant while attending Central State University.
"Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt," Dashner told Time.
Edmond's population is about 70,000.
In response to the Time report, FEMA issued a statement that took issue with elements related to an unofficial biography, and described his job in Edmond as "assistant to the city manager."
Brown "remains focused on helping Americans through the worst natural disaster in history," FEMA said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050909/pl_nm/brown_dc
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