NPR follow-up story-DC FEMA Official Says Chertoff& Brown Ignored Warnings

[demo dutch]

Once again Chertoff/Brown are caught LYING!!

NPR doing a follow-up on previous story
FEMA Official Says Agency Heads Ignored Warnings
NPR - Morning Edition - 9/16/05
by Laura Sullivan

In the days before Hurricane Katrina hit land, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director Michael Brown and other top Homeland Security officials received e-mails on their blackberries warning that Katrina posed a dire threat to New Orleans and other areas. Yet one FEMA official tells NPR little was done.

Leo Bosner, an emergency management specialist at FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., is in charge of the unit that alerts officials of impending crises and manages the response. As early as Friday, Aug. 26, Bosner knew that Katrina could turn into a major emergency.

In daily e-mails -- known as National Situation Updates -- sent to Chertoff, Brown and others in the days before Katrina made landfall in the Gulf Coast, Bosner warned of its growing strength -- and of the particular danger the hurricane posed to New Orleans, much of which lies below sea level.

But Bosner says FEMA failed to organize the massive mobilization of National Guard troops and evacuation buses needed for a quick and effective relief response when Katrina struck. He says he and his colleagues at FEMA's D.C. headquarters were shocked by the lack of response.

"We could see all this going downhill," Bosner said, "but there was nothing we could do."

Entire audio at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4849706

[frictionlessO]

1. C'mon DU'ers show this article some love.

I think this is fairly damning... so much so in fact that I sending it out to every bushbot I know which I have never done before.

Me thinks Leo Bosner might need whistleblower protection status.

[frictionlessO]

2. This really needs attention... is GD just moving too fast or are people

just not interested in this piece of info???

[frictionlessO]

3. I don't get it... why is no one else picking up on this?

I hope it's not because I posted on it first. I mean I know some of you dislike me and all...:P :evilgrin: but...

[Moochy]

6. I think it needs to be reposted in LBN

Hey frictionlessO, I heard this this morning on NPR and thought DU would be abuzz... :(

:kick:

I mean the FEMA guy is basically is blowing the whistle saying that they did nothing despite warnings on thursday. IMO pretty big deal.

:kick: !!!

[frictionlessO]

18. It is without a doubt a big deal. really people should be sending this

out like crazy...

It seems to have gotten some notice now though!! Thanks DU!!

[Lars39]

4. I caught part of it this morning.

Bosner seemed to really be laying it out there. Riveting, in a train-wreck kind of way. :(

[jsamuel]

5. Great info.

[LincolnMcGrath]

7. fifth given

[Moochy]

9. Anyone for six?

:kick:

[ljm2002]

8. I heard it and it was damning...

:kick:

[RevCheesehead]

10. Kick - and recommended.

[bleever]

11. Kick, rec. Chertoff must be the next to go.

[LaraMN]

12. Kick!

Good to have confirmation. This needs to get some legs!

[MN ChimpH8R]

13. Heard this on NPR this morning

and practically drove off the road. This was a real inside account of just how fouled up FEMA and DHS were. This deserves a big :kick:

[Moochy]

14. google news for Leo Bosner

http://news.google.com/news?q=Leo%20Bosner&hl=en

Leo Bosner is the Local Union President

FEMA Union Responds to Brown Resignation
(snip)
For years, AFGE members at FEMA have been ringing alarm bells, predicting the agency's inability to respond adequately to a natural disaster in the face of budget cuts and money thrown away on corporate contractors. In June 2004, the AFGE president of the local union at FEMA headquarters sent a letter to some 20 senators and members of Congress, begging for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the cronyism and program-slashing that were threatening the agency's emergency-response capability.
In the letter, then AFGE Local President Pleasant Mann also expressed concern at the lack of emergency-response experience by then FEMA Director Joseph Allbaugh, who went on to appoint his college roommate, Michael Brown, to the agency's upper ranks. (Brown succeeded Allbaugh when the latter left the agency to become a lobbyist for Halliburton.)
This year, Local Union President Mann was succeeded by Leo Bosner, who describes Michael Brown as "a nice man" who lacks the appropriate experience for running FEMA.
"He's a courtroom lawyer," says Bosner. "If I get sued, I'd like to have him defending me in court -- but not running a disaster response."



SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees
Web Site: http://www.afge.org

Look how few articles have mentioned his testimony. Google news has only about 10 articles or quotes from this guy.

More incompetent news media... depressing really.

[eyepaddle]

15. Reccomended

:kick:

[Kolesar]

16. I posted about this this morning before the audio was up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4791180&mesg_id=4791180

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17. The frustration that Mr Bosner must have been feeling

He warned them, they did nothing. Then when the people were suffering and dying as a result of inaction I expect that frustration turned to anger.

Mr Bosner has been speaking to everyone who will listen. He doesn't appear to have a hang up about pointing fingers and laying blame at the guilty parties feet.

[DemReadingDU]

19. Thank you for sharing

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

20. kick n/t

[frictionlessO]

21. another kick for the night crew. Send this one out freinds....

It could be very very important.

[frictionlessO]

22. and another.... n/t

[indepat]

23. If but a few more good men and women will come to the aid of their

country by spilling their guts and exposing....

[WiseButAngrySara]

24. Kick and recommended! Thanks so much. Why is MSM ignoring this?

Why do they ignore the entire issue of Halliburton and NOLA? Why do they ignore Cheney's redirection of electricity in Mississippi to save his pipeline pump to the Northeast, when it diverted electricity from two local hospitals and nursing homes?

[Independent_Liberal]

25. Kick!

[RedEarth]

26. . Kick!

[Imagevision]

27. Well, obviously they failed to respond we know this - we don't know why?

Did Bush/Rove put the kabosh to the response or didn't they?? and if they did, for the 70th time, what was their reasoning/logic to a slow response -- this is where it's at while Bush says we'll rebuild a better NO.

[Nothing Without Hope]

28. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Bookmarked, recommended and kicked

with thanks!
:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

29. This needs to be sent to Keith Olbermann and to Jack Cafferty

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[Nothing Without Hope]

30. Excellent related story plus Chertoff memo at Knight-Ridder, will post

links here later this evening - no time right now.

It's clear as day - Bush and Chertoff waited DAYS to do ANYTHING. Brown was a disaster, but the crucial initial delays are the fault of Bush and Chertoff. Only they could give the orders and they did not.

Smoking gun city, and the truth MUST be exposed.

Will be back later with the Knight-Ridder links...sorry I don't have time to post them right now.

[Nothing Without Hope]

31. Here are the links, one of them to what I consider a smoking gun memo:

Here's what is, IMO a SMOKING GUN CHERTOFF MEMO:
http://www.realcities.com/multimedia/nationalchannel/news/KRT_Packages/archive/katrina/memo_to_cabinet_members.pdf

Read it closely - look at the date when Chertoff FINALLY declares the Katrina destruction an "incident" and BEGINS planning. Note that he will meet with Bush THE NEXT DAY.

Related articles:

KR | 09/13 Chertoff delayed federal response, memo shows
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12637172.htm

another related article here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4777642
thread title: KR Report: 'Confused' Chertoff Delayed Federal Katrina Response

[PuraVidaDreamin]

32. Anger doesn't quite describe my emotions on this situation

Not sure this feeling could ever be tamed.

I hold George W and BushCo wholly responsible
for this murder on my fellow brothers and
sisters.

Karma- please don't disappoint.