LIVE Hearing on Katrina (Michael Brown on hotseat)

C-Span ^ | 09/27/05 | SE Mom

[SE Mom]

Hearings beginning now on C-Span- Michael Brown will be grilled.

Have at it, folks:)

[oceanview]

in fact, some relief supplies for southern MS - were brough in by navy hovercraft, right to the beach along the gulf.

[maggief]

I connected to the radio link okay, but using Real Media not Windows Media. Windows doesn't work for me with Firefox.

[Peach]

Thornberry: Local folks didn't want their buses going downtown where there was crime and vi olence. Did you hear that.

Brown: I didn't hear the conversations, but that is my general impression. THey couldn't get the way to get the buses there because of flooding and they expressed concern about reports of violence and unwillingness of people, even if they could find them, to get people out.

Thornberry: It was the city and state's job to get people out by bus.

Brown: We recognized they couldn't get people out, even though it was their repsonsibility. That's why we contacted DOD to airlift people out and treat them medically.

[OESY]

In my judgment, based on the portion of the hearings I observed, Michael Brown did a credible job of defending FEMA and his role re: Katrina in Louisiana, and he highlighted the difference in the organization of first responders in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. (After Rita, we can add Texas.)

Brown understood FEMA's mission and explained it clearly to the house committee members. In fact, it is evident that several members on the committee, both Democrats and Rep. Shays, have not yet comprehended what FEMA is authorized and funded to do -- or they are using their positions to take cheap shots for political purposes. I was afraid Brown might blow his cool under the provocations, but thought his more heated responses were appropriate under the circumstances.

Clearly, as Brown pointed out, if Congress wants to change FEMA's mission, that is within their power, but most members do not want to engage in a policy debate about the federal role and the Posse Comitatus Act for fear of losing their audience behind the TV cameras. Although it is important to ask the tough questions to improve future FEMA performance, legitimate questions were handled by Brown with relative ease. After watching today's hearings, I will not be able to accept the characterization that Brown was incompetent.

If Brown is now functioning as a FEMA consultant, I am not bothered. Having to prepare testimony and to testify before Congress while trying to run his agency in the middle of the hurricane season would be an impossible task--for any person, no matter how good a manager, particularly in these rancorous times.

[Christian4Bush]

Oh! You mean the guy who was so indignant and nasty to Brown was the one who went to his own house?

That would be Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat-Louisiana. I think he's talking about some Pubbie guy...Taylor, or something...

[Peach]

Oh, thanks. If they cut out again I'll use Real Media instead.

[Peach]

Brown: Gen. Honore, God love him, is like a bull in a china shop.

LOL

[Peach]

Thornberry: FEMA contracted a fleet of buses. Is that right?

Brown: Yes.

[hawkaw]

Thank you very much for telling me what is going on at the hearing! Great work!

[JEH_Boston]

I'm trying to follow what Brown is saying here. I think it's important.

Being asked about how FEMA decides where to send resources. They work with the state to decide. Sounds like there wasn't unified command to make those decisions.

Ya think?

[FreedomCalls]

Of course the later prediction changed. You missed my point. On Friday, at noon, the prediction was for the panhandle, not New Orleans. So how can you fault Brown for not mobilizing all FEMA's resources toward New Orleans when AT THAT TIME (not later in the afternoon or evening), but AT THAT TIME, the forecast track only barely included NO.

Of course the forecast changed later on. But Brown had no way of knowing that AT NOON ON FRIDAY. When the senators berate him for not forcing an evacuation on New Orleans on Thursday or even ON FRIDAY AT NOON, they are acting as if Brown was supposed to be psychic.

[LA Woman3]

http://tidbitsnews.com/tidbits_10_08_00.htm

New Orleans Police Department for instance was turned into a criminal element with police committing murders, extortion, dope dealing and protection for the rackets under Affirmative Action. Many applicants who were hired were convicted felons (although, convicted felons cannot legally be policeman). Forty-two officers in one year alone were charged with everything from rape to murder.

A Black female officer, Antonette Frank, murdered her former partner and two other people. Her former partner happened to be in a restaurant her and an accomplice were holding up, so she shot him because she thought he might identify her. Her father is missing and a skeleton found under her house is believed to be the father, her brother is also missing. She was the fourth Black officer in 12 months to be charged with murder.

Thirty-eight other New Orleans police officers in twelve months were arrested on various felony charges.

This is just one of hundreds of cases where unfit and unqualified persons have been put in positions over better qualified people, just because of race or gender.

These hiring practices are causing the very fabric of this nation to deteriorate and crumble.

[Peach]

Brown: You had an hysterical media and a situation no one had planned for. LOL

[JFC]

Mac Thornberry is EXCELLENT. He is from Amarillo, TX

[Spunky]

"THey couldn't get the way to get the buses there because of flooding and they expressed concern about reports of violence and unwillingness of people, even if they could find them, to get people out."

Those buses should have been used to get the people who had no transportation out BEFORE the hurricane and then flooding.

Are they saying they should have been used AFTER the fact?

[samantha]

I agree.

[Steve_Seattle]

I clearly recall on Tuesday seeing National Guard troops patrolling along the Mississippi coast; saw it on CNN and Fox.

[Peach]

Being asked about how FEMA decides where to send resources. They work with the state to decide. Sounds like there wasn't unified command to make those decisions.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I thought it was important but couldn't quite understand if Brown was saying that the STATE is supposed to help decide where to pre position supplies or not.