WP: July 31st - Brownie had sent memo he was leaving

[RamboLiberal]

Just an interesting postscript on this story. Is this another reason for his horrible failure - he was clearing off his desk?

From July 31st WP - scroll down:

Deputy Chief at FEMA -- or Maybe Not

Michael D. Brown , who runs the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, sent around a memo a couple of weeks ago saying "effective immediately," his chief of staff, Patrick Rhode , was the acting deputy director.

This caused some head-scratching, because there is no official deputy director position at FEMA, because there is no official director. The last person to hold such a post was Brown, before FEMA got folded into DHS. (Brown is now officially DHS undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response.)

A recent strategic review called for naming a deputy director, but Congress hasn't approved that plan and agencies don't usually go ahead without congressional blessing. Even more curious, it's not clear whether DHS or the White House, which approves such personnel moves, had signed off on Brown's move. FEMA says its general counsel approved the action.

Brown is widely expected to be leaving soon, and there has been some FEMA speculation that this is his way of trying to pave the way for a successor. Rhode had been associate administrator of the Small Business Administration.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/31/AR2005073100890.html

[texpatriot2004]

1. hmm July 31st ?

:shrug:

[Merlot]

2. First he's doing a great job, then he's "transfered" back to DC

and now he was quiting anyhow?

Anybody else think this is as fishy as the water in NOLA?

edit:typo

[Frustratedlady]

5. I Doubt That You Could Even

find a fish in the water in NOLA. At least not a live one. :D

[aquart]

3. Confused.

He tried to escape and they made him stay because he didn't know his title?

So ...uh...he didn't feel a really deep commitment to FEMA?

[AlCzervik]

4. Hey Patrick Rhode of the SBA? They were incharge of the bad loans

given out for 9/11 reconstruction. they gave all kinds of loans to people that had no business in Manhattan.