Why aren't Blanco & Nagin under arrest (at least on manslaughter charges)?

Ramblings' Journal ^ | 9.9.05 | Michael King

[mhking]

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ignored information he received from officials with the National Hurricane Center as early as Friday, 8/26, regarding the ferocity of Hurricane Katrina. Nagin had the capability to commandeer municipal buses and school buses to evacuate those who could not afford to leave the city. Yet the buses he did use, took people to "shelters of last resort," including the New Orleans Convention Center and the Louisiana Superdome, both of which became virtual representations of hell on earth in the ensuing days.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco was also warned well in advance of Katrina's landfall about the power of the storm. She was asked by the Bush Administration if she needed aid -- in advance of the storm's arrival, an unprecedented move in this nation's history. Blanco demurred, saying that the help would not be necessary.

Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, actually telephoned Blanco and Nagin -- at home in Nagin's case -- Saturday night, imploring them to evacuate New Orleans, and once again, emphasizing the power of this storm.

Still the two did not go on the air until Sunday morning, advising people to evacuate -- yet neither one made provisions outside the city for those who could not afford to leave. Both Blanco and Nagin, when questioned on the air that Sunday morning, said that those who could not afford to leave should go to the Superdome or several other "shelters of last resort."

As Katrina cut a swath across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on that Monday morning, water began to breach the seawall and levee system protecting New Orleans from the waters of Lake Pontchartrain to the north. The waters undermined the 17th Street Canal's seawall, sending water cascading into the city. The water ultimately began to overwhelm the massive pumps used to pump out water, prompting a warning from Nagin that the city would flood to a depth of up to 12 feet or more.

Yet, nothing was done to evacuate those in the Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center.

Hundreds of buses were in the city, yet were not used to evacuate those people.

Additionally, the city's own disaster plan calls for the use of school and city buses to evacute those who could not afford to leave the city on their own -- yet it was apparently ignored.

Governor Blanco denied access to the city by the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, both of whom were prepared to bring relief supplies, including food and water, to the people ensconced in the Superdome and 'Convention Center.

Even more damning, the Crescent City Connection, a high-span bridge carrying US 90 across the Mississippi River, remained unobstructed. The bridge goes from downtown New Orleans to the West Bank area of the city, and westward into the Airline Highway, and from there westward away from New Orleans. US 90 remained as an access route for the press and ultimately for rescue vehicles that finally arrived in New Orleans.

There are other issues: President Bush, on arrival in Louisiana, met with Nagin and Blanco. Blanco asked for a 24-hour period to consider Bush's offer of additional aid and resources.

When asked about the buses, Nagin's staffers have refused comment.

Nagin and Blanco have both pointed the finger at each other regarding blame for the disaster.

All of this points toward one overriding question: Why aren't Kathleen Blanco and Ray Nagin under arrest? They deserve to be charged with multiple counts of manslaughter at the very least -- through their ineptness, malfeasance and incompetence, the pair of them are directly responsible for the deaths of literally hundreds, if not thousands of men, women and children in Orleans Parish and the city of New Orleans.

As opposed to permitting them to continue to posture and play partisan games with each other and with the press (fueling fanatic assertions of blame against the Bush administration in the process), they both should be arrested and detained pending an arraignment hearing and trial.

[mhking]

 

Double-barrelled Mega-PING! to both lists! If you want on, FReepmail me!

[hillary's_fat_a**]

Ahhhhh .... a pic of Dumb and Dumber!

[RetiredArmy]

Because:

1. They are socialist democrats. Democrats always get a pass from the MSM and other socialist democrats for their failings and shortcomings and massive screw ups;

2. He is a black man, a minority, thus could not have committed such an act. As such, gets a pass from the MSM and socialist democrats for his failings, shortcomings and massive screw ups; and

3. She is a woman. See response to #2 above.

End of statement. Rant still on.

[EagleUSA]

-- through their ineptness, malfeasance and incompetence, the pair of them are directly responsible for the deaths of literally hundreds, if not thousands of men, women and children in Orleans Parish and the city of New Orleans.
------
Well stated. These libs are totally typical. No accountability?? How about the state legislature in LA standing up and demanding these two be investigated and hold them accountable for all the FEMA money that went somewhere other than where it was supposed to...is that FISH I smell???

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

The MSM will laud them as heroes.

[GianniV]

Because liberals have good intentions, damn it. It doesn't matter what the consequences are for their brain-dead policies or their inaction in times of crisis. At least they care!

[twigs]

Not yet. We're still in the middle of this disaster. But, after the worst is over, these two need to be prosecuted for criminal negligence.

[GianniV]

They should both be arrested for "looting." They looted (stole) people's lives.

[hflynn]

I heard Nagin and Blanco are safe because the NO floods were the fault of the Jews, the Levys failed.

[bonfire]

It will never happen.

[EagleUSA]

The MSM will laud them as heroes.
-----
That would hurt the MSM more than they could take -- what they will do though, is try to spin this as Bush's primary responsibility WHEN IT CLEARLY is not.

That is my guess. Only the feds have any responsibility here -- what a f-ing LIE !!! But that is what the MSM is good at printing. Almost daily.

[battlegearboat]

Naginligence

[mhking]

Not yet. We're still in the middle of this disaster.

Doesn't matter - they need to be nabbed before one or both of them do something else (or even flee the country -- hell, Nagin was in Dallas talking to evacuees yesterday)....

[Pippin]

I was listening to WCBM this morning and the local talkshow host from 9:00 til 12:00 had a woman on who lived in NO.

According to her, there were plans and drills on what to do in case of disasters like this.

But none of the local leaders there implimented those plans.

I think both the Mayor of NO and Governor of LA should be impeached and indicted.

[TheDon]

I find it amazing that the Gov keeps implicating herself as the perpetrator of the NO disaster by claiming only she has the authority to issue a mandatory evacuation. By making this claim, she is admitting responsibility for not forcing an evacuation of NO before Katrina reached the city.

[mhking]

the Levys failed.

Dammit - I need to quit drinking coffee when reading replies...

[Daralundy]

ROLF

[wmileo]

If ever there was a vulnerable incumbent, it is the Governor of LA. Nagin will still keep his job, but I will bet money nobody asks him to run for President like Rudie.

[meandog]

...Put those nincompoops in a carnival dunking booth and let folks throw balls at the dunk target for a buck a toss, and you'd pay off the $52 billion in no time!