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]

He said that there should be a push for impeachment first and criminal charges later.

From his mouth to God's ears....

[auburntiger]

Their constituents are the same who now occupy the Astrodome and other home shelters. Just thinking about it makes me less charitable the next time.

They should know that making blindly stupid decisions in life (like voting Democrat) can only bring misery.

[najida]

add #4
They are in power in a country ran by a Mean Ole Republican White Guy so nothing he or his government can do is right.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I'm having more and more sympathy for the people who chose not to evacuate. They've been familiar with Nagin and Blanco longer than most of us, and now that I'm getting the picture on those two, I think I'd be inclined to react to any instructions from them by doing the opposite. And it's not at all clear that most people who stayed in their homes fared worse than the ones who went to the Superdome. Those whose homes were on relatively high ground (i.e. where flooding really couldn't go beyond the 1st floor) did the smart thing by staying put.

[BurbankKarl]

The Coverup Continues


12:10 P.M. - Police Chief Eddie Compass: No bodies of children found at Convention Center and no evidence of sexual assaults.


12:05 P.M. - Rescue official: No media will be allowed to photograph the recovery mission so that someone in a shelter, say in Houston, won't see a body being taken out of their home.

[RetiredArmy]

Your taxes certainly will pay for the replacement of those buildings in NO. Every tax payer in the country will pay to rebuild NO.

[RetiredArmy]

No I am not from LA. I am originally from Alabama. My father and my family that I grew up in were conservative democrats. Now my entire family are all republicans and still conservatives. Because simply put, the democratic party as it was once known as has been taken over by socialists, communists, enviro-wackos, homosexuals activities, etc. They are indeed socialists. The Klinton, Kennedy, Kerry klans are all socialists. Hillary trained under a confirmed and devoted socialists. Yes, they are socialists.

[RetiredArmy]

Roll Tide.

[RetiredArmy]

Consider #4 added.

[ArrogantBustard]

Wow! Facts and reason (and no incendiary rhetoric) this time.

I'm impressed.

Why aren't Kathleen Blanco and Ray Nagin under arrest? They deserve to be charged with multiple counts of manslaughter at the very least

Whatever they need to be charged with, it should be a FEDERAL offense. There's no way they'd be adequately prosecuted by their lackeys in the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.

[jsmnz]

Both are absolutely GUILTY of criminal negligence resulting in death. Although it is unlikely that there will be any criminal charges. There are a great number of people that could possibly bring civil suit for wrongful death.... Don't know if a civil suit could be won either, but perhaps it would provide an opportunity to ensure that all of the damning evidence is made part of the public record. Is this realistic ? Can anyone with real legal knowledge on this idea comment ?

[SAJ]

Nah. Just now they're overflowing with a different kind of sewage.

[processing please hold]

That's what I've been saying since day one!!!!!

[auburntiger]

I thank you for your service to our country. What is so puzzling to me is that a nice guy like you could have gone to Tuscaloosa. War Eagle!

[Lucky2]

Where's the noose when you need one!

[Republicanprofessor]

Thanks for the post. The article is going up on my bulletin board, so students can see the truth.

I don't respond to your posts much, but I always check them out and appreciate being on the ping list.

[cgbg]

Nagin should have had buses spread throughout the city with policemen, city workers, and if needed volunteers knocking on every door asking if people wanted transport out of the city.

If folks refused that would be their choice. But everyone who wanted out should have had a way out available.

That is what the New Orleans evacuation plan said--and that is what the Mayor should have done.

Now it is true that due to Blanco's gross stupidity there were no shelters ready for evacuees outside the bowl.

What Nagin should have done, as I have posted elsewhere, is sent all the buses to the state capitol in Baton Rouge and surrounded it.

Then he should have called all media outlets in Baton Rouge and demanded shelter in the city for his citizens.

He would have saved many lives for sure--and any decent human being would consider that the highest priority by far and let all other considerations be dam$ed.

[ncountylee]

Much prefer the full Mussolini! Both hanging by their heels in a public square.

[Dazedcat]

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

It also helps to cry on television, which is what she actually did. Free pass.....collect all the money you want when that happens.