Posted on 09/08/2005 11:35:48 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob
And remember as always that just one juror who buys what you're selling (as a lawyer) and you client gets to skate. I do not play that game, and never have. But I've seen a lot of it, so I understand it.
John
Interesting read; and I'm in full agreement.
Blanco Refused to Act
At the Washington Post, in a story with a headline that gives no indication of the important information it contains, we discover that federal officials have been desperately trying to get Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco to do something about the disaster in New Orleans—but she refused to act: Thousands Remain To Be Evacuated -- 9/3/2005. (Hat tip: efuseakay.)
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.”
Blanco made two moves Saturday that protected her independence from the federal government: She created a philanthropic fund for the state’s victims and hired James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton administration, to advise her on the relief effort.
These comments are real gems!
"New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said in an obscenity-laced tirade on WWL radio last Thursday that the federal government should have sent “Greyhound buses” to evacuate his city. He said school buses were inadequate because they lack bathrooms."
"people were refusing the mres because they weren't prepared for them."
These illustrate just how absolutely sick and hallucinatory the left and their ilk really are. Good Lord! To seriously put forth such drivel as legitimate, within the literal life or death context of a monstrous hurricane, is tantamount to refusing an available lifeboat seat on the Titanic, because the boat had no food and no crapper. (Did they also expect the emergency workers to spoon the food into their mouthes)? If reality weren't an overwhleming tragedy, with accompanying death and misery on a mass scale, this is the stuff of which a lousy B-grade comedy movie is made.
NOTHING these people do, say or think is astounding anymore.
Shows you what I know. I thought it was because school buses aren't equiped with wet bars! New Orleans IS a party town, dontcha know.
I'm with you on the manslaughter charges 100% BillyBob.
Nam Vet
http://mumblesmenino.us/Mayor%20Ray%20Nagin.htm
Listen to Nagin 'splain what's happening...all in his own voice.
Blanco is toast. There's too much money coming into the state to keep her there and too many people with the real power who want their hands on that money.
All this dirt that is coming out now - it's from Senator Landreau (sp) and that group. Blanco is history.
"Listen to Nagin 'splain what's happening...all in his own voice."
Great link!
Looooocy; I theen he still has lot of 'splainin' to do;
If he could only talk right. LOL!
Sheesh! This guy is THE poster-boy, THE stellar end- product, in the flesh, for all to see, of decades of liberal education, affirmative action quotas, leftist social policies and Democrats running amok with impunity. What an embarassment. I'll be expecting no future career in brain surgery from this joke.
Anyone know when, or if, Blanco activated the La Guard? It should have been Friday before the storm.
I won't hold my breath.....though I certainly agree with the concept. :)
"New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said in an obscenity-laced tirade on WWL radio last Thursday that the federal government should have sent “Greyhound buses” to evacuate his city. He said school buses were inadequate because they lack bathrooms."
Gee, why doesn't he just ask the Federal Government to beam them out of the city next time?
I do (agree).
...nice piece, John.
Well said, good congressman!!
Who could have imagined a scenario where nurses left nursing home patients to drown or an emergency shelter for thousands was not equiped with generators and emergency communications equipment?
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