Get rid of him, now.
Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management, according to his bio posted on FEMA’s website, was “serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight.” The White House press release from 2001 stated that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 “overseeing the emergency services division.” In fact, according to Claudia Deakins, head of public relations for the city of Edmond, Brown was an “assistant to the city manager” from 1977 to 1980, not a manager himself, and had no authority over other employees. “The assistant is more like an intern,” she told TIME. “Department heads did not report to him.” Brown did do a good job at his humble position, however, according to his boss. “Yes. Mike Brown worked for me. He was my administrative assistant. He was a student at Central State University,” recalls former city manager Bill Dashner. “Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I’d ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt.”
Fire this man, and the other Bush cronies, NOW.
UPDATE: FEMA leaders lack disaster experience
Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
FEMA’s top three leaders — Director Michael D. Brown, Chief of Staff Patrick J. Rhode and Deputy Chief of Staff Brooks D. Altshuler — arrived with ties to President Bush’s 2000 campaign or to the White House advance operation, according to the agency. Two other senior operational jobs are filled by a former Republican lieutenant governor of Nebraska and a U.S. Chamber of Commerce official who was once a political operative.
The infiltration of FEMA began in 2001. Wonder what happened then? Oh, right, Bush was appointed President. He then proceeded to turn FEMA into nothing more than an extension of the campaign war chest handing out our tax dollars to his crony pals - never giving a damn that they should actually be qualified for their positions. Now, people are dead. Dead because George W. Bush is a miserable failure.
NOW: The FEMA spin on this is ridiculous. Their spokesperson is on CNN claiming that it was wrong that Time used the info on the FEMA site because the FEMA site’s veracity cannot be assured.
Oliver,
When do you get sleep? This is brilliant and to the point. Fortunately all of these FEMA staff like Joe Allbaugh are getting excellent experience on the job preparing them for future jobs at places like Halliburton. They will make excellent lobbyists.
Bob
It worked for George O’Leary… Oh wait, it didn’t!
If true, this is bad.
“He was very loyal.”
Says it all, doesn’t it? The only qualification that means anything to the Empire.
JD –
Okay, okay we get it. Republicans are rubber and democrats are glue …
Appointed President?
Infiltrated FEMA?
Tin foil hat time…
Sadie … it appears that according to Richard Cohen, failure is a quality held in high regard on the left.
Not gotten rid of. Thrown in jail for padding his resume. The folks that should be ousted include Chertoff and whoever nominated and approved of this guy and his team. That includes Joe Lieberman. We should use this to replace Joe with a Democrat this time.
That would include … every Senate Democrat! Brown was appointed in 2002, when DEMS controlled the Senate.
Oops…
Says it all, doesn t it? The only qualification that means anything to the Empire.
You forgot about the starched white shirt.
Padding a resume is a criminal offense? Where? in Uzbekistan?
I guess the Bushies don’t believe in background checks, which is done by every business from McDonalds on up to verify credentials.
Of course, when the only criteria for the job is “raised money for Bush”, background checks aren’t necessary, are they?
So the Democrats are responsible, because they wouldn’t save the Republicans from their own stupidity. Yea, that’s credible.
No, Brown was appointed deputy director in 2002 at a time when he was already acting deputy director. He had already been general counsel for the agency. All this was at a time when FEMA wasn’t part of Homeland Security because DHS didn’t exist yet.
The Media is ready to sacrifiece Michael Brown. But are they giving Bush a pass on this appointment by saying ‘it’s not Bushes fault this guy padded his resume’?
You betcha’ that’s the spin.
Even if the resume was accurate to a “T”, does he in any way qualify to be a federal or even a municipal disaster manager? You tell me who is responsible for placing this idiot in charge of FEMA.
Frank;
I think everyone would be satisfied if Brown were fired and the Bush policy of Cronyism came to an end.
I have no problem calling out Democratic senators for approving this guy. But if you think that turns this issue into a “both sides are to blame” issue, Farris, then you’re dead wrong. This is Bush’s appointee, who served as deputy to a FEMA director (also unqualified to serve) who had been Bush’s 2000 campaign head, a job he got cause he’d been Joe Allbaugh’s college roommate. Democrats were lying down on the job, but ultimately the buck stops at the incompetent who nominated him: George Bush.
How about executing his family, and everyone from his hometown?
Sadie & it appears that according to Richard Cohen, failure is a quality held in high regard on the left.
Wow Richard Cohen, the man is practically the official face of the American left so… oh who is he again? A WaPo OpEd columnist. Ah ok. Meanwhile Bush awards Congressional Medals of Freedom to three men who have led our military into their current debacle.
That would include & every Senate Democrat! Brown was appointed in 2002, when DEMS controlled the Senate.
Yet if Dems didn’t allow for him to be appointed, what would we have heard? Oh yeah, the same thing we hear everytime the Dems try to block an appointment… “OBSTRUCTIONISTS!” Maybe know you know why we do it so much- cause Bush always wants to appoint incompetent people!
There you go again, Quaker, always confusing the issue by bringing up facts. You’ll never be tapped for Skull and Bones if you keep this up.
Funny how if you replaced “left” with “right” and “Cohen” with “Coulter”, you’d have a much different reaction.
Is it illegal to lie on your resume? At times yes.
http://news.theolympian.com/specialsections/TerrorinAmerica/20020429/15284.shtml
It is also illegal to lie to obtain a security clearance which I would bet the head of FEMA has.
http://www.law.yale.edu/outside/pdf/Career_Development/cdo-DOJ_Security.pdf
“In addition to the ethical implications of lying, an investigation may be conducted based on the forms, and dishonesty on the forms is a federal offense subject to fine or imprisonment…”
And it is also illegal to lie to Federal Investigators. (Martha Stewart)
I am not a lawyer, but if I said I was an M.D. and wasn’t, and hurt someone on the operating table, I bet I would be going to jail. If I said I was a licensed contractor and wasn’t, and hurt someone with a bridge I built, I bet I would be going to jail. If I said I was a pilot and wasn’t, and crashed a passenger plane, I bet I would be going to jail. If I said I was a qualified bus driver and wasn’t and injured people, I bet I would be going to jail.
All of this adds up to what I think would be charges of criminal fraud and criminal negligence on Michael Brown’s part. If I were a US Marshall.
Funny how if you replaced left with right and Cohen with Coulter , you d have a much different reaction.
Yes, and that would be because Coulter is a LOT more well known, considering shes constantly being trotted out on cable news and the cover of, I don’t know… Time Magazine?
Dolt.
Okay, my head asplodes, why is one comment still awaiting moderation while another goes right on through?
Now Frank_D, either It means that you didn t know that (bad) or are pretending you didn t know that (worse)&
Not sure Cypher as it’s happened to me too; I think it may have something to do with timing: if Oliver is putting up a new post as you’re putting in a comment? Not sure, but that’s my theory.
Oliver?
I think it’s because the comment contains a link that it is held up…
Why that may be so, I don’t know…
Remember, cypher, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
But it could also mean that all the things you’re referring to are not “padding your resume”.