Chertoff: I Relied on FEMA During Katrina

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (search) defended his actions before and after Hurricane Katrina, telling lawmakers Wednesday he relied on Federal Emergency Management Agency experts with decades of experience in hurricane response.

"I'm not a hurricane expert," Chertoff said several times in responding to criticisms from members of a special House panel set up to investigate the dismal federal response to Katrina (search), which killed more than 1,200 people, flooded New Orleans and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands.

Chertoff, a former prosecutor and Justice Department official, took over the Homeland Security Department in February.

Lawmakers grilled Chertoff about why he stayed home Saturday before Katrina made landfall on Monday, why he made a previously scheduled trip to Atlanta on Tuesday, and why he didn't act more decisively to speed up the federal response.

Chertoff said he relied on former FEMA Director Michael Brown (search) as the "battlefield commander" and focused his efforts on making sure FEMA had all the resources it needed. He said he stayed in telephone contact with the office while at home and during the trip to Atlanta.

Probably been posted before, but Rep. Cynthia McKinney showed her socialist nature by saying that the Feds are just as guilty of "negligent homicide" as those nursing home owners who abandoned those under their charge to die.

1 posted on 10/19/2005 3:46:27 PM PDT by KStorm

All I want to know is why haven't the local and state leaders been ''requested'' to testify as to their lack of leadership and responsibility.

2 posted on 10/19/2005 3:48:36 PM PDT by shadeaud (Liberals suffer from acute interior cornial craniorectoitis)

Another free pass to the democrats. This is getting tiresome and is disgusting.

3 posted on 10/19/2005 3:50:16 PM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)

Agreed!

4 posted on 10/19/2005 3:52:13 PM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)

I also agree, its like the Republicans simply don't care.

5 posted on 10/19/2005 4:25:40 PM PDT by usurper (Spelling or grammatical errors in this post can be attributed to the LA City School System)

The Homeland Security Director has to go. He did not think that Nagin and the Gov. should not take most of the blame.

Personally I blame the people that did not take personal responsibility for their families and the MSM.

6 posted on 10/19/2005 4:31:53 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, Over there, we will be there until it is Over there.")

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