Gold9472
09-28-2005, 03:55 PM
Louisiana Governor: Ex-FEMA Chief Told 'Falsehoods'
http://www.nbc6.net/news/5029517/detail.html
POSTED: 7:59 am EDT September 28, 2005
CAPITOL HILL -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco is denying claims from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's former chief that she's partly to blame for a failed response.
Former FEMA director Michael Brown told lawmakers Tuesday that Blanco and other state and local officials bear much of the blame for what went wrong in the response to the storm.
In a statement issued in advance of her testimony Wednesday to a Senate panel, Blanco said she issued the evacuation order two days before the storm, and that it resulted in 1.3 million people leaving the city. She accused Brown of uttering "falsehoods and misleading statements" under oath to Congress, and called that "shocking."
She said Brown's comment clearly demonstrates what she says is the "appalling degree" to which he's "out of touch with the truth or reality."
The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi are also testifying before the committee, by way of a video hookup from their state capitals.
Blanco told senators that two powerful hurricanes "knocked us down, but didn't knock us out." She said Louisiana needs jobs to bring citizens scattered around the country back together again.
New Orleans Mayor Calls Brown's Charges 'Unbelievable'
For his part, News Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said it's too early to get into "name-blame" but he said "a FEMA director in Washington trying to deflect attention is unbelievable."
He also said he doesn't know what Michael Brown meant when Brown described Louisiana as dysfunctional during Hurricane Katrina.
In response, Nagin said, "We were saving lives, rescuing people, trying to evacuate them. It was hectic." He told reporters, "the feds, local, state, all across the board, did not have the processes to deal with a storm of this magnitude."
Nagin also told reporters that "things spiraled" after FEMA officials made promises that "weren't kept."
As for Brown's testimony Tuesday, Nagin said it's obvious that the former FEMA head is under pressure and that he feels "sorry for him a little bit."
Brown blamed many others for the government failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina, continually deflecting any criticism.
In testimony before the House panel looking into the disaster that left more than 1,000 dead, Brown blamed the Department of Homeland Security for not providing better equipment before the storm.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told reporters Brown is "entitled to his point of view."
Brown had a testy exchange with Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays, who said Brown failed when compared with how former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani acted during 9/11.
Brown retorted: "I guess you want me to be the superhero, to step in there and take everyone out of New Orleans."
Shays replied: "What I wanted you to do is do your job."
Shays concedes that the former FEMA chief isn't the only one who should be blamed. He said that Blanco and the New Orleans mayor "did a pathetic job" of preparing people for the storm.
Police Chief Resigning
The city of New Orleans has an acting police superintendent, following the resignation of Eddie Compass.
Compass resigned Tuesday after four turbulent weeks in which the police force was wracked by desertions and disorganization following Hurricane Katrina.
Neither Compass nor Nagin would say whether Compass was pressured to leave.
New Orleans evacuees at a shelter in Baton Rouge disagreed over the chief's legacy and whether he should have resigned. One said, "It's about time." But another said officials "pushed a good man to the breaking point."
The president of the union for rank-and-file New Orleans officers said he's shocked by the Compass resignation.
Compass gave no reason, and asked that people respect his privacy and his decision.
Compass said he would remain at the helm for a transition period of 30 to 45 days.
The announcement came as the city still struggles to recover from the impact of Hurricane Katrina. The city's police force came under fire for its conduct in the aftermath of the storm. Officials now say about 250 officers -- some 15 percent of the police force -- left their posts in the days after the storm hit.
Nagin, reacting to the resignation, called this a "sad day for the city." He calls Compass a "hero" who helped guide New Orleans through one of its "toughest times." And he said Compass is retiring while he's "on top."
http://www.nbc6.net/news/5029517/detail.html
POSTED: 7:59 am EDT September 28, 2005
CAPITOL HILL -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco is denying claims from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's former chief that she's partly to blame for a failed response.
Former FEMA director Michael Brown told lawmakers Tuesday that Blanco and other state and local officials bear much of the blame for what went wrong in the response to the storm.
In a statement issued in advance of her testimony Wednesday to a Senate panel, Blanco said she issued the evacuation order two days before the storm, and that it resulted in 1.3 million people leaving the city. She accused Brown of uttering "falsehoods and misleading statements" under oath to Congress, and called that "shocking."
She said Brown's comment clearly demonstrates what she says is the "appalling degree" to which he's "out of touch with the truth or reality."
The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi are also testifying before the committee, by way of a video hookup from their state capitals.
Blanco told senators that two powerful hurricanes "knocked us down, but didn't knock us out." She said Louisiana needs jobs to bring citizens scattered around the country back together again.
New Orleans Mayor Calls Brown's Charges 'Unbelievable'
For his part, News Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said it's too early to get into "name-blame" but he said "a FEMA director in Washington trying to deflect attention is unbelievable."
He also said he doesn't know what Michael Brown meant when Brown described Louisiana as dysfunctional during Hurricane Katrina.
In response, Nagin said, "We were saving lives, rescuing people, trying to evacuate them. It was hectic." He told reporters, "the feds, local, state, all across the board, did not have the processes to deal with a storm of this magnitude."
Nagin also told reporters that "things spiraled" after FEMA officials made promises that "weren't kept."
As for Brown's testimony Tuesday, Nagin said it's obvious that the former FEMA head is under pressure and that he feels "sorry for him a little bit."
Brown blamed many others for the government failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina, continually deflecting any criticism.
In testimony before the House panel looking into the disaster that left more than 1,000 dead, Brown blamed the Department of Homeland Security for not providing better equipment before the storm.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told reporters Brown is "entitled to his point of view."
Brown had a testy exchange with Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays, who said Brown failed when compared with how former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani acted during 9/11.
Brown retorted: "I guess you want me to be the superhero, to step in there and take everyone out of New Orleans."
Shays replied: "What I wanted you to do is do your job."
Shays concedes that the former FEMA chief isn't the only one who should be blamed. He said that Blanco and the New Orleans mayor "did a pathetic job" of preparing people for the storm.
Police Chief Resigning
The city of New Orleans has an acting police superintendent, following the resignation of Eddie Compass.
Compass resigned Tuesday after four turbulent weeks in which the police force was wracked by desertions and disorganization following Hurricane Katrina.
Neither Compass nor Nagin would say whether Compass was pressured to leave.
New Orleans evacuees at a shelter in Baton Rouge disagreed over the chief's legacy and whether he should have resigned. One said, "It's about time." But another said officials "pushed a good man to the breaking point."
The president of the union for rank-and-file New Orleans officers said he's shocked by the Compass resignation.
Compass gave no reason, and asked that people respect his privacy and his decision.
Compass said he would remain at the helm for a transition period of 30 to 45 days.
The announcement came as the city still struggles to recover from the impact of Hurricane Katrina. The city's police force came under fire for its conduct in the aftermath of the storm. Officials now say about 250 officers -- some 15 percent of the police force -- left their posts in the days after the storm hit.
Nagin, reacting to the resignation, called this a "sad day for the city." He calls Compass a "hero" who helped guide New Orleans through one of its "toughest times." And he said Compass is retiring while he's "on top."