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Many Evacuated, but Thousands Still Waiting(still no state of emergency in LA)
Washington Post ^ | 9-4-2005 | By Manuel Roig-Franzia and Spencer Hsu

Posted on 09/03/2005 9:07:35 PM PDT by aft_lizard

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

A senior administration official said that Bush has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and the New Orleans mayor.

Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.

"The federal government stands ready to work with state and local officials to secure New Orleans and the state of Louisiana," White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. "The president will not let any form of bureaucracy get in the way of protecting the citizens of Louisiana."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blanco; bush; fema; grossincompetence; incompetence; katrina; katrinafailures; nagin; nationalguard
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To: TAdams8591
Well he did have several constitutional constraints BUT this is the classic example of letting the constitution become a suicide pact and you are right, it is sometimes better to break the rules and ask for forgiveness later.
61 posted on 09/03/2005 10:11:28 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: kcvl

If she hasn't declared a state of emergency, than what is this proclamation of state of emergency?

http://gov.louisiana.gov/2005%20%20proclamations/48pro2005-Emergency-HurricaneKatrina.pdf


62 posted on 09/03/2005 10:12:55 PM PDT by kingu (Draft Fmr Senator Fred Thompson for '08.)
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To: tbird5

In this case, one problem is that one of the big threads used the online subhead (or else the Post switched the headlines).

According to the post link given, the headline (and therefore the title of this thread should have been) was:
"Many Evacuated, but Thousands Still Waiting"

THe subheader used in another thread was:
"White House Shifts Blame to State and Local Officials"


63 posted on 09/03/2005 10:13:12 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: _Jim

Is there any evidence at all that the state of emergency was actually declared on the 26th? Did any national news agencies pick it up?

I'll bet a nickel this website is backdated.


64 posted on 09/03/2005 10:14:02 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: js1138

I just cited two different sources that picked it up; I don't think so ...


65 posted on 09/03/2005 10:15:18 PM PDT by _Jim (Listening 28.400 MHz USB most every day now ...)
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To: js1138
Is there any evidence at all that the state of emergency was actually declared on the 26th? Did any national news agencies pick it up? I'm pretty sure that I remember hearing it. There has be another meaning of "state of emergency"... perhaps one unique to interaction with FEMA. But the fact she won't give up control makes me think they're hiding stuff they don't want outsiders seeing.
66 posted on 09/03/2005 10:16:55 PM PDT by montanus
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To: kingu

The actual proclamatation doesn't authorise anyone to do anything except watche the Weather Channel.


67 posted on 09/03/2005 10:18:46 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: _Jim

This statement doesn't authorize any action.


68 posted on 09/03/2005 10:20:03 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: kingu

jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/08/update-louisiana-martial-law.php

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

UPDATE ~ Louisiana "martial law" declarations clarified Bernard Hibbitts at 10:16 PM ET

[JURIST] The Louisiana Attorney General's office late Tuesday issued a number of clarifications concerning the "martial law" assertions made earlier in the day by local officials and law enforcement agents [JURIST report] in the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. According to the AG's office, no such term exists in Louisiana state law.

The declaration of a state of emergency [text] issued by Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Friday and set to continue for at least a month does, however, give officials power to suspend civil liberties in the process of restoring order, and the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993 gives the governor and heads of parishes power to commandeer property. The New Orleans Times-Picayune has more.


69 posted on 09/03/2005 10:23:58 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: js1138
This statement doesn't authorize any action.
Blind?
The declaration of a state of emergency [text] issued by Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Friday and set to continue for at least a month does, however, give officials power to suspend civil liberties in the process of restoring order, and the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993 gives the governor and heads of parishes power to commandeer property.
I think that text is posted above too, previously, like, redundantly ...
70 posted on 09/03/2005 10:24:17 PM PDT by _Jim (Listening 28.400 MHz USB most every day now ...)
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To: js1138

"martial law"

no such term exists in Louisiana state law


71 posted on 09/03/2005 10:25:18 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: kcvl

deja vu; posted above already ...


72 posted on 09/03/2005 10:25:26 PM PDT by _Jim (Listening 28.400 MHz USB most every day now ...)
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To: _Jim

Thanks, that's helpful info.... so the question remains, she recognized the gravity of the threat on Friday, Aug. 26.... just WTF did she do all weekend to ensure that proper evacuations would be completed????


73 posted on 09/03/2005 10:26:27 PM PDT by Enchante
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To: Enchante
just WTF did she do all weekend to ensure that proper evacuations would be completed????
Fretted excessively, I'd say ...

Indecision and fretting is a great way to kill time while Rome is fixing to 'burn'.

74 posted on 09/03/2005 10:29:21 PM PDT by _Jim (Listening 28.400 MHz USB most every day now ...)
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To: _Jim
Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said.

Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law.

75 posted on 09/03/2005 10:30:42 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: _Jim

That statement was in a clarification issued four days later. Why was a clarification needed if everyone understood the original?

And if everyone understood they were authorized to take action, why were they still consulting lawyers when Bush called?


76 posted on 09/03/2005 10:30:52 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: doug from upland
Ping The (federal) administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the (President's) request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law.
77 posted on 09/03/2005 10:31:17 PM PDT by XHogPilot (Islam is The Death Cult)
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To: js1138
Exactly!

*ss covering time!

78 posted on 09/03/2005 10:31:44 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: kcvl

No such term exists in anything I've posted.


79 posted on 09/03/2005 10:31:57 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: pure_capitalist

The WAPO had changed the title, thus his/her/its search wouldn't bring up a duplicate.


80 posted on 09/03/2005 10:34:00 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat (Gone, gone with the waves....)
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