By LARA JAKES JORDAN The Associated Press Friday, September 9, 2005; 2:24 PM
WASHINGTON -- Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being relieved of his command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Friday.
He will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief and rescue efforts, Chertoff said.
Earlier, Brown confirmed the switch. Asked if he was being made a scapegoat for a federal relief effort that has drawn widespread and sharp criticism, Brown told The Associated Press after a long pause: "By the press, yes. By the president, No."
"Michael Brown has done everything he possibly could to coordinate the federal response to this unprecedented challenge," Chertoff told reporters in Baton Rouge, La. Chertoff sidestepped a question on whether the move was the first step toward Brown's leaving FEMA.
But a source close to Brown, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FEMA director had been considering leaving after the hurricane season ended in November and that Friday's action virtually assures his departure.
Brown has been under fire because of the administration's slow response to the magnitude of the hurricane. On Thursday, questions were raised about whether he padded his resume to exaggerate his previous emergency management background.
Less than an hour before Brown's removal came to light, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Brown had not resigned and the president had not asked for his resignation.
Chertoff suggested the shift came as the Gulf Coast efforts were entering "a new phase of the recovery operation." He said Brown would return to Washington to oversee the government's response to other potential disasters.
"I appreciate his work, as does everybody here," Chertoff said.
"I'm anxious to get back to D.C. to correct all the inaccuracies and lies that are being said," Brown said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Asked if the move was a demotion, Brown said: "No. No. I'm still the director of FEMA."
He said Chertoff made the decision to move him out of Louisiana. It was not his own decision, Brown said.
"I'm going to go home and walk my dog and hug my wife and, maybe get a good Mexican meal and a stiff margarita and a full night's sleep. And then I'm going to go right back to FEMA and continue to do all I can to help these victims," Brown said. "This story's not about me. This story's about the worst disaster of the history of our country that stretched every government to its limit and now we have to help these victims."
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
The more the top FEMA chiefs are investigated, the worse the whole thing looks. Padded resumes, little or no emergency managment experience- you name it.
I forsee a class action lawsuit somewhere down the road.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I'm not sure there's any legal basis for suing a government body for not performing its job, is there?
Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :
If only there was some way Mr. Bush could remove people from his administration who have demonstrated profound incompetence.
If only there was some way Congress could remove a sitting president who has demonstrated profound and prolonged incompetence.
But for that, we may have to amend Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States.
Still, the people had the chance at the ballot box in 2004.
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
Look on the bright side - at least you've only got Bush till the next election, Tony Blergh can stay in number 10 until he looses an election.
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Ginger Beacon: Look on the bright side - at least you've only got Bush till the next election, Tony Blergh can stay in number 10 until he looses an election.
Damn my crazy jerking mouse!
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Mnay people think Bush is doing a bang-up job and that he deserves our full support.
Many would gladly re-elect him.
makes you lose faith in humanity, right?
Posted by David Sands (Member # 132) on :
Yep, that's what we do.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Er....you dont mean you'd re-elect him, do you David?
Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :
A different story highlights something I found interesting:
quote:White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the White House did not seek Brown's resignation.
"This was Mike Brown's decision and we respect his decision," McClellan said.
McClellan praised Brown's work but conspicuously left out any reference to his contribution to the Katrina efforts.
"The president appreciates Mike Brown's service," he said. "Mike has done a lot of great work on a number of hurricanes."
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Hmmmm...I wonder who they'll get to replace him?
Hopefully someone (internal to FEMA or possibly The American Red Cross) with a lot of hands-on experience.
Not that it's all Brown's fault by any means- he's just the obvious target/patsy.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Hmmmm...I wonder who they'll get to replace him?"
Yes, I wonder...
"Bush said that he would name David Paulison, now U.S. fire administrator and director of preparedness for FEMA, to lead the agency." -from the article linked to right up there in Jay's post
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Well, why dont I just read the article next time. I've been reading up on Paulison locally the lat couple of days- he's from down here and there have been sone good (very flattering) articles in the local papers.
Bush is saying that he accepts responsibility for the government response snafu, but really it's more the fault of the locals being unprepared as anything else (not that it stops morons from using the Race Card to try to score political points and garner headlines).
Also in the papers today, an intresting account of the many not-followed-up suggestions from the 9/11 comission on how to improve emergency response during a national disaster. But who listened to those guys anyway, right?