[ABCNEWS.COM] FEMA Director Michael Brown to Be Out Soon

[thelasik]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1111074

Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown, under criticism due to his management of Hurricane Katrina as well as reported discrepancies on his resume, is expected to be out as head of the agency very soon, informed sources have told ABC News.

Brown had virtually no experience with emergency management when he was appointed to the position by President Bush two years ago.

Brown was a college roommate of Joseph Allbaugh, a former Bush campaign manager who directed FEMA from March 2001 to March 2003. Brown was the deputy chief of FEMA in 2001 aand moved up when Allbaugh left.

Before becoming part of the agency, Brown was a top official of an Arabian Horse Association. The secretary of that association says it asked him to resign in 2001.

Time magazine reported this week on discrepancies in Brown's background, including his role in emergency service in Oklahoma and his work as a professor at Central State University.

A 2001 press release on the White House Web site says that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 "overseeing emergency services divisions." Brown's official biography on the FEMA Web site says that his background in state and local government also includes serving as "an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight" and as a city councilman.

Both Time and The Associated Press were told by city officials that Brown was an assistant to the city manager and not an assistant city manager.

A university official told the magazine that Brown was a student at the University of Central Oklahoma (formerly Central State University) and may have been an adjunct instructor, not a professor.

However, the Bush administration continued to support Brown today as President Bush did on his first visit to the scene of Hurricane Katrina.

"And Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA director's been working 24 hours," Bush said on Sept. 5 as the crowd burst into applause.

[wouldabeen23]

Great first step, and as a Democrat, I hope that Blanco is honorable and resigns as well.

[white lightning]

Both Time and The Associated Press were told by city officials that Brown was an assistant to the city manager and not an assistant city manager.



Sounds like he has the same problem as Gareth from "The Office".

[wnes]

Hey, just like the "Mission Accomplished" sign, Brownie could claim he himself didn't put the forged resume on FEMA's website - someone else did "without his knowledge" - and he never paid attention to these little things.

[The Real Shady]

Expected.

[dragonsnake]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1111074
FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Duties By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
6 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050909/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/katrina_brown_6;_ylt=AvRMUn7ThoW3Frsup1O1Ha8bLisB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being removed from his role managing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, The Associated Press has learned.
Brown is being sent back to Washington from Baton Rouge, where he was the primary official overseeing the federal government's response to the disaster, according to two federal officials who declined to be identified before the announcement.

[wnes]

Brown will head back to Washington from Louisiana to oversee the big picture, the official said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/katrina.washington/index.html


"Oversee the big picture" in Washington = promotion?!

Man, you gotta admire Dubya.

Richard Clarke, Paul O'neil, and to lesser extent, Christie Todd Whitman, and Colin Powell must have screwed up big with their personal trust by Bush.

[MadMax]

"Oversee the big picture" in Washington = promotion?!

Man, you gotta admire Dubya.

Richard Clarke, Paul O'neil, and to lesser extent, Christie Todd Whitman, and Colin Powell must have screwed up big with their personal trust by Bush.


i admire your skepticism.

how you could see this as a promotion is beyond me.

[wnes]

i admire your skepticism.

how you could see this as a promotion is beyond me.

Then explain this "oversee the big picture" in Washington. That any company or organization would retain a person who fudged his/her resume, on top of incompetence and poor performance on the job, is beyond me.

[MadMax]

Then explain this "oversee the big picture" in Washington. That any company or organization would retain a person who fudged his/her resume, on top of incompetence and poor performance on the job, is beyond me.

he's being pulled back from his job. he will be overseeing the ozarka machine, if he's lucky. and even that won't last long. he will ultimately be finding employment elsewhere. this is a demotion. plain and simple.

[topfive]

Then explain this "oversee the big picture" in Washington. That any company or organization would retain a person who fudged his/her resume, on top of incompetence and poor performance on the job, is beyond me.

I think they mean he'll be in charge of dusting Dubya's presidential portrait.

[wnes]

he's being pulled back from his job. he will be overseeing the ozarka machine, if he's lucky. and even that won't last long. he will ultimately be finding employment elsewhere. this is a demotion. plain and simple.

OK Max, if I can speak like a lawyer: "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." ;)

[Major]

he's being pulled back from his job. he will be overseeing the ozarka machine, if he's lucky. and even that won't last long. he will ultimately be finding employment elsewhere. this is a demotion. plain and simple.

Agreed. This is a way to fire him without exacerbating the criticism of FEMA's response. Within a few months, once things settle down, he'll be gone.

[wnes]

"At the same time, we are still in hurricane season. We need to be prepared to deal effectively with the possibility of other hurricanes as well as other disasters, whether they be natural or man-made," Chertoff said. "Therefore, I've directed Mike Brown to return to administering FEMA nationally."

Asked whether the shift was "the first step" toward Brown's resignation-a question that was also directed to Brown-and how Brown responded to the reports about his resume, Chertoff, assuming the stern manner of an appeals court judge-a position he formerly held-responded curtly:

"Here are the ground rules: I'm going to answer the questions. I've explained what we're doing. I thought I was about as clear as I possibly could be in English as to what I'm doing and why I'm doing it."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-090905brown_lat,0,5399595.story?coll=la-home-headlines


Gosh, a law degree can get you anywhere you wanna be - gotta get myself in law school someday. Seriously.

In a written statement distributed by the homeland security department, where Brown's title is under secretary, Brown called attention to the potential threat of Hurricane Ophelia off the Florida coast, and said he was returning to Washington "to resume oversight over operations" preparing for the storm.

"FEMA is fully capable of handling multi-storm operations," his statement said.

I am sure many Floridians would love to have Brownie back (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-femacoverage,0,6697347.storygallery?coll=sfla-news-utility).

[insane man]

i can't stand bush. but he is loyal as hell. and its something the democrats could learn.

[krosfyah]

Great first step, and as a Democrat, I hope that Blanco is honorable and resigns as well.

Difference being is that Blanco was elected by the constituentes of LA. Brownie was appointed (by Bush). Nobody wanted Brownie there except the appointer. So I don't anticipate that Blanco will step down...as bad a job as she did.

[langal]

Difference being is that Blanco was elected by the constituentes of LA. Brownie was appointed (by Bush). Nobody wanted Brownie there except the appointer. So I don't anticipate that Blanco will step down...as bad a job as she did.

that's a good point. Brown's failure is ultimately a reflection on the guy who apppointed him (Bush).

[wouldabeen23]

Difference being is that Blanco was elected by the constituentes of LA. Brownie was appointed (by Bush). Nobody wanted Brownie there except the appointer. So I don't anticipate that Blanco will step down...as bad a job as she did.


you are right on, I just wonder where this "blame game" is going? We all want to say it's somebody's fault other than or own, but we don't want to blame anyone...

I think it's telling that some conservatives, eager to defend their hapless president against those liberal meanies in the press corps, have no problem saying that the "corrupt" Democratic establishment in Louisiana is to blame.

Well, we can blame the Mayor and Governor because they're Democrats and didn't fill out the right form: 456-M/22 in triplicate with BLACK instead of BLUE ink to BEG the federal government to help save thousands.

[KingCheetah]

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"
_________

"Brownie, you're fired"

[VinceCarter]

well someone had to take the fall.

[tigermission1]

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"
_________

"Brownie, you're fired"

LOL! Yah, that's exactly what came to mind. I guess it's Bush lingo, so the next person Bush says to, "You're doing a heck of a job" better watch out!

If nothing else, I give this administration high marks, or 'thumbs up', for the comedy it has provided the audience (that would be us) over the past few years. I believe we will look back on this as the 'golden age' of political comedy.

[KingCheetah]

LI guess it's Bush lingo, so the next person Bush says to, "You're doing a heck of a job" better watch out!


Actually, it's not really funny because Bush thought he was doing a great job ~ I wonder who clued him in...