FEMA chief under fire
Time magazine asks, “How Reliable Is Brown’s Resume?” The magazine’s investigation reveals several discrepancies in the FEMA Director’s resume, a few of which appear to be outright fabrications.
Update: Paul rightly notes that senior government officials are supposed to be cleared and scrubbed by the FBI before attaining office. How did Brown slip through? Paul also references this GAO report on federal employees with degrees from diploma mills. “Diploma mills” can be defined as nontraditional, unaccredited, postsecondary schools that offer degrees for a relatively low flat fee, promote the award of academic credits based on life experience, and do not require any classroom instruction. Here is an easy to read testimony by a GAO managing director on the report.
Update 2: FEMA Director Michael Brown has been relieved of Katrina relief duties.
8 Responses to “FEMA chief under fire”
As they say, to the victor go the spoils.
Just remember this…Notre Dame holds its football coaches to a higher standard than the Federal Government holds its FEMA directors to.
That’s not such a profound statement – I mean, it’s Notre Dame football. That’s like saying that the NIH holds its staff scientists to a higher standard than the Federal Government does its FEMA directors.
I agree with those calling for Brown’s resignation, by the way. If Brown had any foresight, he would have done so before Katrina made landfall.
Hot off the presses. Check this:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050909/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/katrina_brown
As of 13 minutes ago…..
Paul is right. As I wrote on my own blog this morning, not only is Brown not qualified for the job he was given, it’s hard to imagine what exactly he is qualified to do.
Yes, senior government officials are supposed to be cleared by the FBI beforehand…but you know what, we all know already that doesn’t happen, at least under this administration, maybe under the previous one.
Anyone remember the Bernie Kerik DHS nomination at the beginning of the year? They clearly didn’t vet that one at all beforehand – they just took Rudy’s word on him…and when he was nominated, it turned out he was mob-connected all over the place and he’d had the city pay for an apartment overlooking ground zero that he used as a love nest.
So don’t tell me that the FBI is doing background checks on these folks.
On the other hand…feel free to go ahead and critique the 42 minute confirmation hearing Brownie was given when he was first nominated for the job…run by senator “Joementum”. It’s quite pathetic. Although…if someone had stood up to try to block him…have you ever heard someone mutter the word “Obstructionist!” over and over and over again?
Oh, the Clinton Administration was all kinds of talented at obtaining FBI files on people. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)