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Posted on 12/11/2005 3:57:49 PM PST by caryatid
BATON ROUGE -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is having second thoughts about reimbursing Louisiana for more than $25 million in payments to the consulting firm that has been advising Gov. Kathleen Blanco on hurricane recovery.
A week after announcing in a news release that the state Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness could collect up to $26.1 million for the services provided by James Lee Witt Associates, FEMA withdrew the authorization and questioned whether the state acted properly in awarding the contract.
In a Dec. 5 letter to Col. Jeff Smith, Blanco's official representative to FEMA, federal officials asked whether James Lee Witt Associates got the contract on a noncompetitive basis, and whether any other companies were invited to apply.
Among other things, FEMA wanted to know whether the state followed its typical rules and regulations in hiring the consulting firm, which is headed by President Clinton's former FEMA director and the company's namesake.
The state defended its decision in a Dec. 8 letter to FEMA, which said that Louisiana law allows contracts for "professional services" to be exempt from the normal process of competitive bidding, and the scope of the Katrina disaster meant the state had to act quickly.
"The overwhelming influx of FEMA personnel and the insufficient number of state staff made it critical that the state quickly identify skilled and experienced personnel to represent Louisiana's interest," Smith wrote to Scott Wells, FEMA's federal coordinating officer in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Political News Service
COMMENTARY: Finally someone is paying attention! Were the Witt employees e-mails and notes subpoenaed?
"Col. Jeff Smith, Blanco's official representative to FEMA"- We thought that was Witt, Blanco said, "He will sit at the table for me."
[Emphasis in original].
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John Hill did a puff piece for Blanco in today's Gannett rags (Monroe News-Star, Shreveport Times, etc.). Moon refers to Hill as Gannett's "Deputy Press Secretary for Government."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is having second thoughts about reimbursing Louisiana for more than $25 million in payments to the consulting firm that has been advising Gov. Kathleen Blanco on hurricane recovery.
----They have been doing a piss poor job of consulting if NO is any indication of how good they are. By the same token, might want to check and see if Blanco was even listening or reading up on it. LOL
Boy, the dirt about Louisiana's political corruption is surfacing.
None of it surprises me in the least. I said before the hurricane even blew over this would be uncovered.
I am trying to find information about the Disaster Preparedness Plan his outfit sold to the State of Louisiana [for big $s, of course] some time before Katrina. Many comments were made about Blanko hiring him as a consultant so quickly ... that it was an apparent CYA ... after the total disaster of Katrina.
Between 550 and 741 people (or more) died under Clinton with this guy at the helm.
James, you did a heck of a job...NOT.
girlangler, Hurricane Katrina simply ripped the scab off the festering sore that is Louisiana politics. It is nothing new ... just more noticeable. LOL
I know, I lived there for several years, and had the opportunity to experience "politics" up close and personal.
Still have a lot of family members there.
LOL....fed comes with very strong strings...it's OUR WAY...or NO WAY....no money for JAMES WITT & Co [which includes BLANKO]...this may have worked in Lousyana...but at the fed level...NOT...
If nothing else, I certainly would like to see James Witt get short-changed on this deal. At least one good ol Arkansas boy would come up with empty pockets.
"and that Gov.Memaw needed to roll up her sleeves and hand someone a bag of ice .."
Thats a whole new meaning for "put some ice on it."
What a zoo and what a circus. If you wrote a script like this no one would buy it ... too unbelievable!
Blanco's Halliburton. Wonder how MUCH stock Michael Moore holds.
With corruption in mind, I have been struck with how silent congress has been about Congressman Cunningham. Maybe since he agreed to become a witness for the government most of the other congress critters are afraid of what he could reveal about them. As for him, they should make an example to put the fear of God in the others.
In what?.... 90 days.....they rack up 25 million for consulting fees?......
that's over 250K per day!
It has been reported that, as a favor to the state ... Witt has reduced his hourly rate from $500/hour to $250/hour.
From Louisiana Political News Service 12/09/2005:
Wow! While New Orleans was in chaos, these aides were concerned about the governor’s clothes and acting like “John Wayne.” In fact, these bits of fashion advice are not cheap. The Witt Group will be paid $26,000,000 for these pearls of wisdom. Talk about high priced fashion advice! Whether the Governor followed any of their recommendations is unknown because in an interview yesterday she claimed that she does not use e-mail. What a leader in technology this Governor has turned out to be!During Katrina, there was no time for napping, no time for fashion advice. These are just more examples that Governor Blanco was out of step, out of touch and ill-advised before, during and after Katrina.
Talk about power lunches!!!
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