DNC: Chertoff AWOL As Katrina Strikes (Long but good timeline)

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
September 19, 2005
Contact: Josh Earnest - 202-863-8148

Chertoff AWOL As Katrina Strikes

Washington, DC - Hurricane Katrina tested the ability of the Department of
Homeland Security to respond to a major national emergency. Unfortunately, the
newly created agency failed miserably, as thousands were left stranded in the
Gulf Coast. The agency's failed response raised serious questions about DHS
Secretary Michael Chertoff's role as the tragedy unfolded. Concerns have been
raised that Chertoff's inaction stalled the deployment of desperately needed
federal resources to the affected region.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called on the White House to
release Chertoff's schedule in the days leading up to and after Hurricane
Katrina struck the Gulf Coast:

"Every day, it becomes clearer that Secretary Chertoff and his agency dragged
its feet as thousands of Americans remained stranded. The agency's failed
response also raises serious questions about our nation's ability to respond to
another large natural disaster or terror attack. To answer these questions, the
White House should release Chertoff's schedule so that Americans can begin to
learn why their federal government let down so many in the Gulf Coast.
Democrats also renew our call for an independent commission to fully
investigate the response, at all levels, to our nation's worst natural
disaster."

See below for a new document from DNC Research:

CHERTOFF TO NEW ORLEANS: GOOD LUCK!

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was responsible for leading and
coordinating the federal response efforts to the biggest natural disaster to
ever hit the United States. President Bush finally took responsibility for a
botched federal response, which left thousands stranded in the convention
center and ignored thousands of others begging for help. While thousands
suffered, Chertoff stalled the deployment of federal resources by waiting until
days after Katrina struck, and days after a state of emergency was declared, to
enact the National Response Plan his agency had created. Chertoff repeatedly
ignored the warnings, shrugged off the pleas for help, downplayed the horror
and devastation, all the while praising FEMA. We know that President Bush was
at the ranch in Crawford and Vice President Cheney was vacationing in Wyoming
while Katrina was raging on the Gulf Coast. But, where was Secretary Chertoff?

WAY BACK WHEN... 2004
"Hurricane Pam" Exercise Documented Threat to New Orleans; Did Chertoff Even
See The Report? The AP reported, "Under FEMA's direction, federal and state
officials began working on the $1 million Hurricane Pam project in July 2004,
when 270 experts gathered in Baton Rouge, La., for an eight-day simulation. The
so-called 'tabletop' exercise focused planners on a mock hurricane that
produced more than 20 inches of rain and 14 tornadoes. The drill included
computer graphic simulations projected on large screens of the hurricane
slamming directly into New Orleans -the storm eerily foreshadowed the havoc
wrought by Category 4 Katrina a few days later, raising questions about whether
government leaders did everything possible -- as early as possible -- to
protect New Orleans residents from a well-documented threat.' Former FEMA
Director Michael Brown said he was kept abreast of Pam planning from the
onset... Brown assumed the Pam report was sent to DHS, 'but can I put it in the
hands of Secretary Ridge or Secretary Chertoff? No.'"

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2005
CHERTOFF IS AWARE OF POTENTIAL KATRINA HOLDS BEFORE IT HITS LAND
Chertoff Assured Alabama Governor "Any Assistance" Needed Before Katrina Hit.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley spoke to Bush and Chertoff before Katrina hit the
Gulf Coast. In a statement pre-Katrina, Governor Riley said, "I've spoken with
President Bush and Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff, both of whom have
assured me they will offer any assistance we may need to recover from this
devastating storm."

Chertoff Briefed on 'Potential Deadly Effects' of Katrina, Warned of Levee
Break. "Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, told the
Times-Picayune Sunday afternoon <8/28/05> that officials with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including
FEMA Director Mike Brown and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff,
listened in on electronic briefings given by his staff in advance of Hurricane
Katrina slamming Louisiana and Mississippi--and were advised of the storm's
potential deadly effects." Mayfield later told the Times- Picayune, "We were
briefing them way before landfall...It's not like this was a surprise. We had
in the advisories that the levee could be topped." Times-Picayune, 9/4/05, emphasis added]

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2005
AS KATRINA AND POUNDS THE GULF
By Early Monday, At Least 55 Reported Deaths By Hurricane Katrina Throughout
Gulf Coast. "Hurricane Katrina barreled into the Gulf Coast on Monday morning,
its fierce winds cutting a 125-mile swath of destruction stretching from
coastal Alabama across Mississippi to the French Quarter and the Superdome. At
least 55 people were killed. The storm's leading edge, wielding winds up to 145
mph across the Gulf of Mexico, made landfall as a fearsome Category 4 hurricane
at 7:10 a.m."

BROWNIE WAS DESPERATELY SEEKING CHERTOFF
FEMA Director Frantically Sought Leadership from Chertoff. The New York Times
reported, "hours after Hurricane Katrina passed New Orleans on Aug. 29, as the
scale of the catastrophe became clear, Michael D. Brown recalls, he placed
frantic calls to his boss, Michael Chertoff. 'I am having a horrible time,'"
Brown said he told Chertoff

Katrina Wreaking Havoc, Bush Called Chertoff...About Immigration Policy. While
Katrina was wreaking havoc on the Gulf Coast, Bush was in Arizona, fielding
questions on immigration policy: "I spoke to Mike Chertoff today. He's the head
of the Department of Homeland Security. I knew people would want me to discuss
this issue , so -- we got us an airplane on Air --
telephone on Air Force One, so I called him. I said, are you working with the
governor? He said, you bet we are. That's the most effective way to do things,
is to work with the state and local authorities." 8/29/05]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2005
CHERTOFF BELATEDLY ENACTS NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN
Chertoff Failed To Start The National Response Plan Until Days After Katrina
Hit. "The National Response Plan, issued by the department in January, allows
federal assistance before a disaster strikes. The plan states that a federal
response 'can be partially or fully implemented in the context of a threat,
anticipation of a significant event, or the response to a significant event.'
The plan generally requires the federal government to react to emergencies that
exceed state and local capabilities. Chertoff did not declare Katrina as a
nationally significant incident until August 30th, a day after Katrina hit.
Chertoff's memo came three days after President Bush's Aug. 27 declaration of a
state of emergency in Louisiana, in advance of the storm and four days after
Governor Blanco said in her letter to Bush that the severity of the storm would
overwhelm Louisiana's resources." Bush, 8/26/05, emphasis added]

Chertoff's Delay in Declaring an Incident of National Significance Meant a
Delay in Federal Resources. "Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff
delayed declaring Katrina an 'incident of national significance' - a
designation that would have triggered a quick and massive federal response -
until a day after the hurricane hit, even though weather forecasts predicted
the storm would cause widespread destruction."

BLANCO CALLS SITUATION HEARTBREAKING...
Blanco Calls Situation "Untenable." Nagin Declared Martial Law. "'The situation
is untenable,' Gov. Kathleen Blanco said. 'It's just heartbreaking. The
devastation is greater than our worst fears.' New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin
declared martial law Tuesday afternoon and ordered everyone still in the city --
including police officers not considered 'central emergency personnel' -- to
leave. But evacuation routes were blocked by flooding and debris." Local Wire, 8/31/05; Orlando Sentinel, 8/31/05]

CHERTOFF SAYS NEW ORLEANS "DODGED A BULLET"
Chertoff Downplayed Damage, Learned of Levee Break and Devastation. Chertoff on
"Meet the Press, recalled, "Well, I think if you look at what actually
happened, I remember on Tuesday morning picking up newspapers, and I saw
headlines, 'New Orleans Dodged The Bullet,' ...Because if you recall, the storm
moved to the east and then continued on and appeared to pass with considerable
damage but nothing worse. It was on Tuesday that the levee -- may have been
overnight Monday to Tuesday -- that the levee started to break." No major
newspaper printed a headline that literally said New Orleans "dodged a bullet,"
as Chertoff claimed. emphasis added]

Brown Called Chertoff Tuesday Evening Begging for Chertoff's Help. "Guys, this
is bigger than what we can handle... This is bigger than what FEMA can do. I am
asking for help."

Chertoff Claimed He Didn't Know The Storm Would Be So Big. "It wasn't until
comparatively late, shortly before, day, day and a half before landfall that it
became clear this was going to be a category 4, 5 heading for the New Orleans
area," said Chertoff. But, the national hurricane center was warning of
Katrina's growing danger four days before landfall.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2005
BLANCO ASKS WHITE HOUSE FOR MORE HELP IN RESCUE EFFORT...
Blanco Asked White House For More People To Help With Rescue Effort. Louisiana
Gov. Kathleen Blanco asks the White House to send more people to help with
evacuations and rescues, thereby freeing up National Guardsmen to stop out-of-
control looters.

CHERTOFF SAYS EFFORTS "GOING WELL"
Despite Blanco's Assessment, Chertoff Says Situation At Superdome Secure.
Blanco's "remarks contrasted with those by Michael Chertoff, the secretary of
homeland security, who said yesterday that the Superdome, where thousands of
refugees sought shelter, 'is secure' with the help of 'several hundred'
National Guardsmen and city police. His statement was belied by police at the
scene, who described the situation as extremely dangerous." 9/2/05]

Chertoff: "Efforts Going Well," "Extremely Pleased with Federal Response."
Chertoff claimed in media interviews that relief and evacuation efforts were
"going well," and he declared himself "extremely pleased" with the federal
response to Katrina.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005
CHAOS AND DESPAIR... BUT CHERTOFF SAYS THINGS AREN'T SO BAD
Things Weren't as Bad as They Seemed. Time Magazine reports, "In a conference
with President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and five congressional leaders,
when chaos and despair reigned in New Orleans, Chertoff insisted things weren't
going as badly as media reports suggested, adding that he had spoken to local
law-enforcement officials in the past hour."

Chertoff Learned of Situation in Superdome, Reporters Were "Exaggerating."
"Chertoff first learned--from an NPR anchor in Washington--that there were
thousands of people stranded, starving and in some cases dying in the New
Orleans Convention Center, a story that had been all over the media that
morning. Again, Chertoff suggested reporters were exaggerating. 'If you talk to
someone and you get a rumor or you get someone's anecdotal version of something,
' he said, 'I think it's dangerous to extrapolate it to all over the place.'"


CHERTOFF'S FEMA MIA, CHERTOFF THREE DAYS LATE ASKING FOR HELP
Homeland Security Did Not Ask for Help Evacuating Storm Victims Until Thursday -
Three Days After the Storm Made Landfall. "The airline industry said the
government's request for help evacuating storm victims didn't come until late
Thursday afternoon . The president of the Air Transport
Association, James May, said the Homeland Security Department called then to
ask if the group could participate in an airlift for refugees."

Superdome Evacuation A Louisiana Operation: FEMA Not Involved. "Watching the
slow procession from the Superdome, an angry Terry Ebbert, head of New Orleans'
emergency operations, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency response was
inadequate. 'This is a national disgrace. FEMA has been here three days, yet
there is no command and control,' Ebbert said. 'We can send massive amounts of
aid to tsunami victims, but we can't bail out the city of New Orleans. We have
got a mayor who has been pushing and asking, but we're not getting supplies.'
He said the evacuation was almost entirely a Louisiana operation. 'This is not
a FEMA operation. I haven't seen a single FEMA guy.'" Gazette, 9/2/05]

Chertoff to New Orleans: "Good Luck." In a briefing, Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff insisted that the government was doing all it could
do. In his remarks, he stated that "All of us wish, I know, Godspeed and good
luck to those who are suffering." Orlando Sentinel, 9/2/05]

Brown And Chertoff: Residents Bear Responsibility for Climbing Death Toll. FEMA
Director Michael Brown said those who ignored the city's mandatory evacuation
order bore some responsibility. "I think the death toll may go into the
thousands and, unfortunately, that's going to be attributable a lot to people
who did not heed the advance warnings," he said. Chertoff voiced a similar
opinion saying, "Some people chose not to obey that order. That was a mistake
on their part."

FRIDAY, SEMPTEMBER 2, 2005
CHERTOFF TOUTS PROGRESS, PRAISES FEMA
Chertoff Accompanied Bush to Beleaguered Coast, Touted Progress. Before heading
down to the devastated Gulf Coast, Bush told reporters, "Secretary Chertoff and
I just finished a meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld, General Myers, other members
of my Cabinet, as well as General Honore, Admiral Keating, in charge of
NORTHCOM - General Honore is active duty general on the ground in Louisiana -
and Mike Brown, who's the head of FEMA... There's a lot of aid surging toward
those who have been affected: Millions of gallons of water, millions of tons of
food. We're making progress about pulling people out of the Superdome." 9/2/05]

Chertoff: FEMA Doing "Magnificent Job." "Terry Ebbert, New Orleans' homeland

security chief FEMA's response to the disaster has been an
'embarrassment.'... Yet, back in Washington, Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff told CNN Thursday that he believes FEMA and other federal
agencies have done a 'magnificent job' under difficult circumstances to deal
with the unprecedented disaster, citing their 'courage' and 'ingenuity.'
Insisting that aid is coming as fast as possible, Chertoff said, 'You can't fly
helicopters in a hurricane. You can't drive trucks in a hurricane.'' 9/2/05]

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2005
CHERTOFF POINTS FINGERS AND SUPPORTS BROWNIE WHILE...
Chertoff Says State Responsible For National Guard Response And Says He Has
Full Confidence In Brown. Chertoff told CNN that "he traditional model for
recovery and -- response and recovery involves having the federal government
come into support the first responders, who are the first on the ground... our
constitutional system really places the primary authority in each state with
the governor." Chertoff also said he has "full confidence" in FEMA Director
Michael D. Brown, the DHS undersecretary and federal officer in charge of the
Katrina response.

Chertoff Claimed Situation In Louisiana Was Improving. "The situation is
improving hour by hour, nevertheless we are not satisfied," Chertoff said,
adding that the unexpected double whammy of a hurricane followed by flooding in
New Orleans had shattered the government's emergency plan with the force of an
'atomic bomb.'"

BLANCO IS FORCED TO LOOK TO OTHERS FOR HELP...
Blanco Brings In Experienced Emergency Management Official To Advise On Relief
Effort. Blanco created a philanthropic fund for the state's victims and hired
James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton
administration, to advise her on the relief effort.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2005
CHERTOFF PLAYS DUMB; SAYS GOVERNMENT IS IN CONTROL...
Chertoff Claims The Levee Breaks Were Unexpected. Chertoff repeatedly spoke
about the hurricane and the break of the levees in New Orleans as if they were
separate events, another unpredictable one-two punch. "A devastating hurricane
followed by a second devastating flood." Chertoff admitted FEMA knew the levees
around New Orleans might be overrun by a category 4 hurricane however -
Chertoff defended, "The collapse of a significant portion of the levee leading
to the fast flooding of the city was not envisioned."

Chertoff: No Amount Of Planning Could Have Prepared Them. "So no matter what
the planning was in advance, we were presented with an unprecedented
situation."

Chertoff Assured the Government Had Control of the Situation. "Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Sunday the federal government is in
control of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans after days in which authorities failed
to reach stranded refugees and evacuate the city."

BUT BLANCO STILL LACKS RESOURCES
Blanco Praised General Honore But Was Disappointed He Didn't Have More
Resources In Tow. "Honore quickly became a media darling and the take-charge
face of the federal government in New Orleans, barking out orders to surprised
National Guards members who aren't even under his control. Blanco said she
liked Honore's style, but was surprised that he arrived with only a few aides
in tow. 'He didn't bring any resources,' Blanco said. 'I just kind of expected,
based on my conversations with the White House, that we could be getting a
surge of equipment and we did not.'"

Former DHS Inspector General: Devastating Indictment Of Department's
Performance. "This is what the department was supposed to be all about," said
Clark Kent Ervin, DHS's former inspector general. "Instead, it obviously raises
very serious, troubling questions about whether the government would be
prepared if this were a terrorist attack. It's a devastating indictment of this
department's performance four years after 9/11."

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2005
CHERTOFF FINALLY VISITS REGION, MAKES OUTRAGOUS COMMENTS
Chertoff Made Trip to Region. On Monday, September 5, President Bush, First
Lady Laura Bush and Secretary Chertoff traveled to the Gulf Coast. 9/5/05]

Chertoff... How could you? After claiming to have no warning of a possible
levee break and stalling the federal response by not putting into action the
National Response Plan until days after the hurricane hit, Chertoff finally
visited the devastated region and plainly stated, "We are going to uncover
people who died, maybe hiding in houses, got caught by the flood." Chronicle, 9/15/05; Meet the Press, 9/4/05; Chicago Tribune, 9/6/05]

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2005
CHERTOFF BRIEFS CONGRESS, GIVES OVERLY ROSY VIEW OF EVENTS
Chertoff Briefed Senators: "Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said
efforts now focus on rehabilitating the battered coast and helping displaced
residents find housing, education and jobs. 'I think what we have to offer the
people of all of the afflicted areas now is hope,' Chertoff said after briefing
senators. 'There is a tremendous amount of work to do.'"

Chertoff Under Fire. Chertoff visibly upset members of the Homeland Security
Committee by taking a laissez fair tone, minimizing the suffering and anguish
of evacuees at the Superdome and insisting the federal response had been far
better than the media portrayed. Ranking Committee member Bennie Thompson of
Mississippi said of Chertoff's remarks, ''He was the first speaker, and it sort
of went downhill after that. People felt we are not going to get the truth here.
'' Elijah Cummings, Democrat of Maryland, became increasingly frustrated by
what he heard. ''The picture was being painted that things were not as bad as
they appeared to be'' in news reports, Mr. Cummings said in an interview. ''It
reached the point where the answers didn't add up.''

Chertoff Called Superdome Crisis a "Small Soda-Straw View" of What Happened.
NBC's Mike Viqueira reported that in the closed briefing Cabinet officials gave
House members last night, homeland security chief Michael Chertoff contended to
members that what the members saw on TV from the Superdome "was a small soda-
straw view of what was going on" in terms of the crisis, and not representative
of the true situation. Per Rep. Elijah Cummings (D), after Chertoff said that,
some members got up and walked away.

*****

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.

[whistle]

1. I believe that Chertoff was at a wickham celebration at Stonehenge

...while Katrina did her thing.:wtf:

[shance]

2. "The city of Louisiana is under water"

- compliments of Michael Chertoff.

[Dr Fate]

3. They need to say this on TV.

n/t