Memo implicates Chertoff in slow response to Katrina

[quaoar]

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12637172.htm

Chertoff delayed federal response, memo shows

By Jonathan S. Landay, Alison Young and Shannon McCaffrey
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The federal official with the power to mobilize a massive federal response to Hurricane Katrina was Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, not the former FEMA chief who was relieved of his duties and resigned earlier this week, federal documents reviewed by Knight Ridder show.

Even before the storm struck the Gulf Coast, Chertoff could have ordered federal agencies into action without any request from state or local officials. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown had only limited authority to do so until about 36 hours after the storm hit, when Chertoff designated him as the "principal federal official" in charge of the storm.

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But Chertoff - not Brown - was in charge of managing the national response to a catastrophic disaster, according to the National Response Plan, the federal government's blueprint for how agencies will handle major natural disasters or terrorist incidents. An order issued by President Bush in 2003 also assigned that responsibility to the homeland security director.

But according to a memo obtained by Knight Ridder, Chertoff didn't shift that power to Brown until late afternoon or evening on Aug. 30, about 36 hours after Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi. That same memo suggests that Chertoff may have been confused about his lead role in disaster response and that of his department.

[justiceischeap]

1. kick and nominated (eom)

[Gman]

2. Wasn't Chertoff like the 4th or 5th choice for this job?

Several people turned it down.

[shaniqua6392]

3. Skeletor has no disaster experience either.

He should be forced to resign along with Mike Brown and anyone else in governmental agencies that have no experience in their respective positions. Also, the person who hired all of these political cronies to be in charge of protecting us in the event of a disaster should resign. Oh, by the way, that was George W. Bush.

[Supersedeas]

4. is * still asking the ED question: Are you ready? The cronies need an

accountability drug.