Sheriff Lee Threatens to Arrest FEMA officials......again

[AnnInLa]

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee commandeers Sam's Wal-Mart stores
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee said he has "commandered" the Sam's and Wal-Mart stores in the parish and ordered them to open as soon as possible. Lee said he took the action after he learned that a Wal-Mart store wanted to open recently but was told by FEMA officials that it could not.

snip



Lee said he gave handwritten notes to Wal-Mart stores in Harvey and Kenner saying they were ordered to open as soon as possible. Lee said Parish President Aaron Broussard agreed with the decision.

Lee said anyone from FEMA who tries to close either store will be arrested by deputies.

"We're encouraging the businesses to get up and going."

On other topics, Lee said he had 40 deputies who didn't report for duty for the storm. One who tried to return was told not to waste his time.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09_11.html#078842

((Someone help me out...Didn't Sheriff Lee run for some high public office in LA in the last election? He's a pistol!))

[acmejack]

1. Here's his bio!

http://www.jpso.com/lee.htm

[musette_sf]

2. Harry Lee has been Sheriff of Jefferson Parish

like, forever. He was sheriff when I lived there 25 years ago.

His family owns the House of Lee Chinese restaurant which was near Veterans and Causeway if I remember correctly.

Harry Lee is a pistol, as you said, and he takes no sh!t. He and Broussard are great guys.

[sandnsea]

3. Why no higher office?

Why not a judge or something? He sounds like the exact kind of person who should be in the Senate or on the federal bench. I don't get it.

[musette_sf]

8. mebbe he just likes his job,

likes where he is, and wants to keep things that way.

If that's the case, why give up leading the sheriff's posse at the East Jeff Mardi Gras parades, to go be a professional big-time liar and ass-kisser in Fedland?

Personally, I like to see someone with strong ties to the community and many effective years in service, who wants to stay there and serve the people he loves.

[sandnsea]

9. Ya know

"big-time liar and ass-kisser in Fedland" is half the reason the south has such crappy government. Some of us out here expect our government to be honest and responsive, and lo and behold, most of the time it is. At least at the federal level. All bets are off when it comes down to the local sheriff running business owners out of town because they're cutting in on the good ol' boys.

[musette_sf]

11. not sure how to take your response

since last I heard about anyone in Jeff Parish running anyone out, was FEMA trying to cut the communications lines, and Harry Lee running their asses out.

Oh yeah, and also be more specific about the Feds being honest and responsive, and the local guys looking to keep the good old boys going. Not sure where you were going with that, either.

[sandnsea]

13. One is no better or worse than the other

That's all. A big reason Republicans win in the south is the anti-government sentiment, it gets obnoxious. Especially in the face of the stellar response by FEMA in Florida, a state needed to win the presidency. It is disgusting that the very people who were put in danger don't understand that it's their own anti-government hatred that got them there. Some people want to know what it will take for Bush lovers to get it, I also want to know what it will take for the south to get it, even southern Democrats.

[texpatriot2004]

5. God Bless Sheriff Lee n/t

[CottonBear]

10. In which parish is Gretna (where evacuees were turned back on the bridge)?

Why can't Nagin tell FEMA to fuck off and allow businesses and homeowners back into NOLA as soon as areas and neighborhoods dry out?

[musette_sf]

16. well, Gretna is part of Jefferson Parish

but as those of you from Louisiana know...

There is West Jeff and East Jeff. East Jeff is somewhat more progressive (being right next to Orleans Parish and all); West Jeff is a bit more regressive.

[zoeb]

4. When was the first time? More people should have done this at the onset

and supplies might have gotten through.

[ima_sinnic]

7. he was the one who stationed guards with guns near communication

lines after FEMA cut them during/just after the storm

[CAcyclist]

6. He Should Commandeer Some Vets While He's at it

I've heard from a vet at LSU that they are absolutely swamped - it's like the Superdome all over, just this time with animals - at the same time that the Humane Society is saying they have enough help, FEMA is saying only military vets allowed in - yet there are no military vets. People think the VMAT teams are supposed to cover the federal animal relief response - but they are only an ASSESSMENT team - they can't possibly handle the caseload themselves - that's where the feds need to come in - and they aren't coming.

I'm not supposed to repost this vet's emails on a public forum since I read them on a private vet forum, but I asked him to email me directly and he sent me a word doc which I can't open since I have a Mac - I am seriously considering diving into the hot water I'll be in by reposting his emails anyway if I can't get the message out any other way.

There are over 1300 animals at LSU and the satellite shelters under LSU aegis and only a handful of vets and untrained volunteers to help clean, feed, water and exercise these animals not to even mention actual medical care - lots of animals are severely compromised due to dehydration , starvation and heat prostration. The need for voluteers, especially trained volunteer techs and vets is dire - the feds aren't stepping in like they are supposed to.

[AnnInLa]

12. OMG....I can't believe this!

wow...just as I write this, am listening to Anderson Cooper. He is fixing to do a story on animal resuce/federal non-response. Can Baton Rouge be getting the story? I can't believe more people in that area wouldn't volunteer if they knew how desperate things are???? I didn't see anything in the online Advocate today. Damn! If you get the document, try to post it on the hurricane blog on the Advocate website and on the Times Picayune blog website.

[AnnInLa]

14. Not federal laws, but state laws are preventing

the animal shelter from sending some of the dogs out of state, so they can make room for more. Damn...what's the matter with these officials...why all the red tape??? Wouldn't other states voluntarily take some of the dogs?

[CAcyclist]

15. Lots of People Are BUT

they are not trained animal handlers and people are getting hurt. And they have like 1500-2000 animals not to mention the horses, of which I am told a large number are stallions. They need lots more people and the people working now need to take a break.

What they need are trained, experienced techs and vets. What they really need is the federal response that was supposed to show up but didn't.

[KamaAina]

17. The same Harry Lee who once tried to blockade a road into N.O.?!

No, really. There is a road that leads from affluent Old Metairie (David Dukkke country) into the adjacent poor, black Hollygrove neighborhood of N.O. The selfsame Harry Lee took it upon himself to blockade the road with concrete highway barriers! Not to be outdone, then-N.O. mayor Sidney Barthelemy, who is African American, personally destroyed the barrier from the N.O. side with a sledgehammer!! All this took place while I was living down there in the early '90s. I guess Harry Lee, unlike ever so many other public officials, has grown up since then.

[ZigSteenine]

18. Blockade

I heard that he blockaded the interstate preventing the looters from coming over. From what I heard there were deputies with shotguns standing across the road.