Legal Expert-Blanco was legally in charge of Disaster Relief

Fox News | Sat 9-10-05 | ME

[MNJohnnie]

Just watched a legal expert on Fox go thru the disaster event by event. Based on the Law Gov Blanco is legally liable. If lawsuits are filed, there is no way she can duck it. In addition, when Bush went went down there, he offered her immediate deployment of Reg Army troops, she told both him and Nagel that she "needed 24 hours" to decide. This is DC politics. As everyone from Bush to Clinton to Carter learned, Washington Politics are a whole lot tougher then local politics. Blanco is toast. EVEN if the National Dems get the "Independent Commission" there is no way to rescue her based on the Law. I suspect that is why Mayor Nagel has been so quiet. He found out last Fri just who was holding the knife in his back, and it wasn't Bush

[GoLightly]

Why would the City of NO have plans in place for evacuation and NOT have any idea where to evacuate TO?

They wouldn't. Nagin didn't have the legal power to use that part of the emergency plan. Blanco's government (state level) was needed to trigger its use, because the agreements with other states are handled at the state level.

[MNJohnnie]

He has heard that the buses are insured and the insurance will pay for flood damage - but NOT if they were flooded during use in an evacuation

If that is the case why does the City of NO's OWN Disaster Plan, as posted on the City of NO's website, specifically refer to using the Buses in an emergency evac?

[spanalot]

"The fact is that CG works for DHS so all your talk about Brown and Chertoff is just plain wrong and BS. If it wasn't already in their mission statement the CG wouldn't have even been in a position to do anything.

Again the CG didn't need permission from anyone! Is there something difficult to understand about that concept."

---

Your response confirms my position twice.

1) How can Chertoff and Brown cry about permission and yet we have HELOS FROM ALL BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES DOING RESCUE FROM DAY ONE.

2) How can CHERTOFF AND BROWN CLAIM CREDIT FOR HELO RESCUE BUT BLAME LACK OF GROUND COORDINATION ON MISSING 'PERMISSION'.

Bush and Cheney saw thru this and did the right thing.

[MNJohnnie]

They wouldn't. Nagin didn't have the legal power to use that part of the emergency plan. Blanco's government (state level) was needed to trigger its use, because the agreements with other states are handled at the state level.

Does the State of Emergency, request 2 days before the storm by Blanco, and granted the same day by Bush trigger that?

[Anita1]

This is what the SuperDome plan was and it says no food and water to be provided:

Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan: http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/plans/EOPSupplement1a.pdf

The Supersome was designated as a last resort refuge and it says: "Unlike a shelter, there may be little or no water or food and possibly no utilities. A Last Resort Refuge is intended to provide best available survival protection for the duration of the hurricane Only - (my emphasis).

[spanalot]

"Actually if they DHN and FEMA don't what you wanted they to do there would have been a whole lot more recriminations"

You got to give up the BureacratBot postion and soon - ARMY, MARINE, NAVY, and CG HELOS did what they "wanted" and they are getting accolades as HEROS - not recrimination.

[GoLightly]

Nagin had the power to use the buses to essentially rearrange the chairs on the Titanic. Using them to ship people out of his parish required state level power.

[Gimme]

"Based on the Law Gov Blanco is legally liable."


Yes, she threw up every road block available to prevent
relief coming into the Dome and Center. She was never on the same page as Nagin. She played politics while people died. (And she failed to follow her own States evacuation plan already in place). How anyone can "blame" others for her horrible and deadly performance is truly amazing.

[infocats]

Thanks for the GREAT update.

"FEMA cannot force locals to conduct exercises."

FEMA's Mitigation Directorate is charge in PARA 2.42 with the management, training, and testing of local programs to ensure preparedness and compliance.

[gitmo]

This is what the SuperDome plan was and it says no food and water to be provided:

From the City of New Orleans Disaster Preparedness Plan.

The Hurricane Emergency Evacuation Standard Operating Procedure is designed to deal with all case scenarios of an evacuation in response to the approach of a major hurricane towards New Orleans. It is designed to deal with the anticipation of a direct hit from a major hurricane. This includes identifying the city's present population, its projected population, identification of at-risk populations (those living outside levee protection or in storm-surge areas, floodplains, mobile homes, etc.), in order to understand the evacuation requirements. It includes identifying the transportation network, especially the carrying-capacity of proposed evacuation routes and existing or potential traffic bottlenecks or blockages, caused either by traffic congestion or natural occurrences such as rising waters. Identification of sheltering resources and the establishment of shelters and the training of shelter staff is important, as is the provision for food and other necessities to the sheltered. This preparation function is the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Preparedness.

[MNJohnnie]

Your response confirms my position twice.

1) How can Chertoff and Brown cry about permission and yet we have HELOS FROM ALL BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES DOING RESCUE FROM DAY ONE.

2) How can CHERTOFF AND BROWN CLAIM CREDIT FOR HELO RESCUE BUT BLAME LACK OF GROUND COORDINATION ON MISSING 'PERMISSION'.

Nope you are wrong on both. FEMA, who's second in command is CG Admiral Loy, DID have those CG and other assets, PREPOSITIONED to help as they ARE required. That is triggered when the State asks, and the Feds Grant, a State of Emergency. HOWEVER use of those assets is UNDER STATE direction. FEMA coordinates, it does NOT command. Command is at the State Level. What FEMA does not have is LAW Enforcement capability. So when City of NO lost control and the State dragged it's feet to dispatch ARMED LA NG units who DO have legal authority to enforce Law and order, FEMA was left with no choice but to halt operations because they could not protect their people. You want to argue FEMA teams should of just kept trucking despite the violence?

[MNJohnnie]

Again the CG didn't need permission from anyone! Is there something difficult to understand about that concept."

You ever serve in the Military? Know the term CHAIN OF COMMAND?

[gitmo]

Yes, but the state is still in charge. They are consultants to the state.

[NickatNite2003]

I saw it. but you noticed how she blithely dismissed their culpability and attacked Bush ansd FEMA like *their*
"guilt" was spo profundly more accountable, and
shpould be accused in the most vociferous way
possible...?

Lying bigoted DemoHag.

[MNJohnnie]

PS Did you add National Review and Novak

Yeah I contacted both and pointed out to them where they were wrong.

[MNJohnnie]

You got to give up the BureacratBot postion and soon - ARMY, MARINE, NAVY, and CG HELOS did what they "wanted" and they are getting accolades as HEROS - not recrimination.-spanalot

Please, Let us quit feeding the troll. Totally obvious he has NO desire to actually learn and just keeps ranting his personal feeling with complete disreagard for reality.

[PigRigger]

No one in the MSM seems to have done any homework regarding disasters.

Their hatred of Bush led them to embraced it.....they wanted it to be true irregardless of the facts....irresponsible at best....

[PigRigger]

No one in the MSM seems to have done any homework regarding disasters.

Their hatred of Bush led them to embraced it.....they wanted it to be true irregardless of the facts....irresponsible at best....

[MNJohnnie]

Blanco requested FEMA assistance

Requested ADDITIONAL FEMA assistance. The prepositioned units Blanco got by declaring the State of Emergency where there. She says Wed the 31st to CNN, FEMA says Thursday Sept 1st.