Lieberman's committee approved "Brownie" on a voice vote in 2002

[stevedeshazer]

Here's the document (long PDF): http://www.voluntarytrade.org/downloads/Brown_ConfirmHrg.pdf

From TPMCafe.com http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/8/234553/9235

<snip>

It appears, then, that Mike Brown suffered 42 breathtaking minutes of serious nothingness (unless Lieberman's withering questioning regarding whether Brown would sufficiently keep the Senate informed --- duh,yes) to become Deputy Director of FEMA. When FEMA was, just a few months later, subsumed into DHS, Brown didn't need to be Senate confirmed as his new position -- technically as Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response -- was "germane" to his old position. Guess that's true. But it means that the four Senators who showed up to confirm a deputy director were, in fact, confirming the head of America's entire emergency management apparatus.

Worse, still, besides Brown's obvious lack of qualifications, is the obvious lack of any serious questions about previous disasters, what would he do in a future disaster, his thoughts -- if he had any -- on what should be done.

Except one. In an eerie exchange between Lieberman and Brown, when Lieberman is concerned about nuclear facilities and evacuation plans in Connecticut, Brown says this:

I think my role is a very serious one. I think the agency's role is a very serious one, that we should not just wait for someone to petition or request that we evaluate, that those types of plans should be evaluated (plans regarding evacuations) on an ongoing basis. It would be my intent to somehow implement the ongoing evaluation so we do not have to look in hindsight and say, gosh, we wish we had looked at that. We should be looking at that all the time to make sure they (plans) are adequate, and I will pledge to you that we will certianly do that.

Much more at TPMCafe link. :grr:

on edit: the piece is entitled, "42 minutes of shame", the amount of time spent on approving his nomination....

[Webster Green]

1. Nice work Joe!....

Heck of a job!


Demand resignations! Now!

[Erika]

2. Bad nomination by W

Is lieberman still a democrat?

[knowbody0]

4. serious dementia

[renie408]

5. Lieberman was a Democrat?? I must have missed that...n/t

[xray s]

3. and to think Lieberman almost became VP

he owes his entire political career to National Review, you know.

[jensmygov]

6. Switch

Why doesn't Joe just switch parties.Trade him for Hagel!!!

[KoKo]

7. Some of us always suspected he was a "mole" in Gore/Lieberman/2000

and blame him for insisting the late Military votes be counted. What a jerk... PLUS...tonight on C-Span, Harry Reid made a disparaging comment that Lieberman and Susan Collins were in "Closed Door" Meetings in the Defense Committee. He was kind of worked up about that as to why other Senators were not in those meetings.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. And who were the other Dems?

Should they switch parties as well?

[Zodiak]

9. was there another democrat on the committee

I sure would like to know who that was and how he/she voted.

[DELUSIONAL]

10. I was wondering if the Democrats or anyone had

really looked into Brownie's background -- as in -- what the bastard qualified?

Why didn't the FBI background check reveal any of the lies -- reported in breaking News found on Brownie's resume.

These idiots are half human.

[AlGore-08.com]

11. And the Senate voted to confirm Chertoff 98-0.

Only two not voting Baucus (D-MT) and Specter (R-PA)

Roll call here:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00010

[stevedeshazer]

12. ..