Think Progress: Brown Falsely Smears Blanco Under Oath

[understandinglife]

Brown Falsely Smears Blanco Under Oath

September 27, 2005

Today, while testifying under oath, Mike Brown claimed that Louisiana Gov. Blanco’s August 27th request to the President for a federal emergency declaration excluded Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquerines parishes. Here’s Brown today under questioning by Rep. Steve Buyer:

<clip>

BUYER: Let me ask this. Since you went through the exercise in Pam, was that not shocking to you that the governor would excluded New Orleans from the declaration?

BROWN: Yes.

BUYER: When that request came in excluding these three parishes, did you question it?

BROWN: We questioned it. But I made the decision that we were going to go ahead and move assets in regardless because we have the ability to add those parishes…

In fact, Blanco requested the President to declare a disaster in “all the southeastern parishes,” which includes Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines. See the request for yourself HERE:

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976

More at the link:

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/27/brown-false-smear

File charges, Congressman Buyer -- you've just had a witness perjure himself.


Peace.

[nicknameless]

1. Hey, they're lying! I'm shocked! Shocked, I say!

Grrrrrrr & nom.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

3. I know! Who would have ever guessed it??

:sarcasm:

[indepat]

20. Shocking! Who would ever have thunk it?

[understandinglife]

2. Full Text of Gov Blanco's August 27, 2005 letter to Bush

August 27, 2005


The President
The White House
Washington, D. C.

Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76209

Dear Mr. President:

Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan.

Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal.

Preliminary estimates of the types and amount of emergency assistance needed under the Stafford Act, and emergency assistance from certain Federal agencies under other statutory authorities are tabulated in Enclosure A.

The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of State and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
• Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters (SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.
• Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased evacuation of the coastal areas.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and Rescue Missions.


Mr. President
Page Two
August 27, 2005


• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD): Coordinating traffic flow and management of the evacuations routes with local officials and the State of Mississippi.



The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in responding to this incident:
• FEMA ERT-A Team en-route.

I certify that for this emergency, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property.

(a) List any reasons State and local government cannot perform or contract for performance, (if applicable).

(b) Specify the type of assistance requested.

In accordance with 44 CFR § 206.208, the State of Louisiana agrees that it will, with respect to Direct Federal assistance:

1. Provide without cost to the United States all lands, easement, and rights-of-ways necessary to accomplish the approved work.

2. Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the requested work, and shall indemnify the Federal Government against any claims arising from such work;

3. Provide reimbursement to FEMA for the non-Federal share of the cost of such work in accordance with the provisions of the FEMA-State Agreement; and

4. Assist the performing Federal agency in all support and local jurisdictional matters.

In addition, I anticipate the need for debris removal, which poses an immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety.

Pursuant to Sections 502 and 407 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5192 & 5173, the State agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States of America for any claims arising from the removal of debris or wreckage for this disaster. The State agrees that debris removal from public and private property will not occur until the landowner signs an unconditional authorization for the removal of debris.


I have designated Mr. Art Jones as the State Coordinating Officer for this request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.

Sincerely,




Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Governor
Enclosure


ENCLOSURE A TO EMERGENCY REQUEST


Estimated requirements for other Federal agency programs:
• Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters (SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby. Costs estimated at $500,000 per week for each in operation.
• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and establishing (3) on Standby. Costs estimated at $500,000 per week for each in operation.
• Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters. Costs estimated to range from $250,000-$500,000 to support (6) Shelter generator operations.
• Louisiana State Police (LSP): Costs to support evacuations - $300,000 for a non-direct landfall.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Costs to support evacuations - $200,000 for a non-direct landfall.
• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD): Costs to support evacuations - $2,000,000 for a non-direct landfall.


Totals: $ 9,000,000

[Mr_Spock]

14. Seems clear enough to me

Hwo could someone claim otherwise - it's too easy to find out the truth. Somethings fishy here...

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. She ALSO sent a clarifying letter on Aug 28. Here's a post with links to

the two Blanco letters as well as the Bush response on Aug 27.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2064469&mesg_id=2067532

Of the three communications, only the Bush one omits those southern LA counties, a glaring error which was discussed weeks ago here at DU and elsewhere on the internet. Don't miss the August 28 Blanco letter either - she spells it out in excruciating detail. You can see it as a pdf:
http://www.gratisnet.com/KatrinaHelp.pdf

We really need to write a HANDBOOK OF CURRENT GOP LIES for the perusal of our hapless, clueless Dem "representatives." (Of course, I am NOT speaking of the few who are actively pursuing the truth, like Rep. Conyers.) Don't they have anyone on their staffs reading emails or checking the main blogs? They have damaged the cause of truth and justice so many times by not promptly rebutting one of the GOP lies/spin jobs du jour.

I'm not kidding about that "Handbook of Current GOP Lies," by the way.

[movonne]

4. It does not matter, who's going to do anything about it.

[Scout1071]

5. Mister, you no call that man Brownie, you call him Shithead.

Sorry, memories of The Jerk.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. This has been discussed at DU and dKos for WEEKS already - why

did the Dems not know this story? It's such an obvious lie, and the documents are available on the web for all to see.

I am very tired of the Dems not being prepared for the GOP lies. If they can't hire someone to keep up with internet investigations, they could take a page from the bivet**'s book and use a transmitter hooked up to a Kossack or a DUer so they could get their cues! :eyes:

Really, when the Dems don't rebut the lies immediately and firmly, the impression is left - as is Rove's plan - that there is truth in the bogus statements. What will it take before the Dems are adequately prepared to rebut the lies IMMEDIATELY and FIRMLY? When will they learn?

And pleeeeeeeze let this be knowing perjury by Mr. Heck-of-a-Job....

Recommended

[understandinglife]

9. Hope, Arianna points her pen at the core problem, yet again, today:

Iraq Burns; Dems Look on the Bright Side
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/iraq-burns-dems-look-on-_b_7974.html

The one Democratic leader who requires no spin, and who likely never will is Congressman Conyers.

The Nation needs for him to step forward and assume leadership. I have fostered the notion that he announce his candidacy for President. And, I think he should.

But, I also think that he can take a different and powerful approach by stating that if Bush and Cheney are not either forced to resign or impeached, then after he leads the Democrats to capturing the majority in both the House and the Senate in 2006, he will lead the effort to impeach them in the House and assist his colleagues in the Senate to convict both of them and, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he will then become the President of the United States until the 2008 National Election.

We need action and we need it now. Congressman Conyers is the person who can rally the Nation.


Peace.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. Breathtaking! What a healing, exciting, inspiring move that would be!!!

Conyers is the man, the only Dem leader who REALLY gets it and has been working at every level to get at the truth and support the rule of law.
:patriot:

[goclark]

12. Conyers is a man I would work night and day for!!

Has anyone asked if he wants to run?

Even if he doesn't want the job , he should be a part of the debates and campaign.
I love his honesty and his wisdom.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. UnderstandingLife had a thread on asking Conyers to declare his candidacy:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4808308
Thread title: Please support: Call for Rep. Conyers to declare candidacy for President

This was on Sept 18. Here is the letter written by UnderstandingLife to Rep. Conyers, posted at the end of that thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4808308&mesg_id=4813581

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. UPDATE: Understandinglife has a NEW thread on Conyers for President:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4909251
Thread title: A direct request to Congressman John Conyers from B Robert Franza MD

[understandinglife]

19. Thank you Hope.

Peace.

[never cry wolf]

7. Does anyone know who can bring charges of purjury?

Does it have to be a federal prosecutor or can a congresscritter bring charges. For that matter can any citizen file a complaint?

[RepublicanElephant]

8. leahy on bbc news practically calling brown a liar.

might also be at bbcnews.com later.

[zbdent]

10. That's the charge they got Alger Hiss on (And Ollie North, but

he got a break) and Annthrax Coulter blathers on and on about how great a patriot Joe McCarthy was for getting that much on Alger Hiss.

He was convicted of "lying to Congress" - Brown should at least be held to the same standards . . .

[stickdog]

13. Mr. Brown, your pants are on fire!

[pitohui]

15. yes they lie under oath IOKIYAR

unfortunately this is only a crime if you're a democrat so don't expect a perjury prosecution to follow

[phusion]

21. Yes! We can fire Brown!

er, wait...