KHOU: Did Gov. Jeb Bush push cruise ships on FEMA?

[PhilipShore]

KHOU
From 11 News Staff Reports
Did Gov. Jeb Bush push cruise ships on FEMA?
March 2, 2006

http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou060302_cd_carnivalcruise.7c6b876e.html

The President's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, has been asked to explain his role in the award of $236 million contract to Carnival Cruise Lines to house Hurricane Katrina victims.

Two Carnival ships, Sensation and Ecstasy docked practically unused in Galveston because evacuees were afraid to board because of possible future storms.

Former FEMA director Michael Brown released e-mails sent to him by Gov. Bush reportedly pushing a contract with the cruise line without a competitive bid.

Carnival is based in Florida.

[napi21]

1. I heard this on TV tonight too.

Seems Jeb answered the inquiry and he's off the hook. I have no idea how we would find out anything different from that.

[emulatorloo]

2. Blank Rome probably had more to do with it.

Big Lobbying Firm, filled with ex-homeland security people. And they lobby current Homeland Security for big no-bid contracts for their clients. . . .Many many ties to Bush admin

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Blank Rome Clients receive 336 million in no bid Katrina contracts

Edited on Fri Feb-03-06 06:20 PM by emulatorloo
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/8952492/looting_homeland_security?rnd=1141355450566&has-player=true

<snip>

Mark Holman, a former adviser to Tom Ridge and a Bush "Pioneer" who raised more than $100,000 for the president's 2004 campaign, is now a senior partner at Blank Rome Government Relations, which represents Carnival Cruise Lines, the company that won a staggering $236 million contract to provide the government with three luxury liners for six months. Blank Rome also represents CH2M Hill, an engineering firm that bagged a $100 million no-bid contract.

<snip>

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(as an aside, Barbara Comstock is a partner in Blank Rome ("coordinated" repug 2000 recount efforts in Florida, lawyer, former Ashcroft Justice Dept, rightwing talking head, head of Scooter Libby defense fund -- many many tentacles between Blank Rome and Bush Admin)

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Here's an article about Blank Rome and incestous relations w Dept of Homeland Security -- it will curl your hair:

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=10750

Security for Sale

The Department of Homeland Security has a section on its Web site labeled “Open for Business.” It certainly is.
By Sarah Posner
Issue Date: 01.05.06

[wakeme2008]

3. At first I thought this was a good idea

even if it was high cost.

But I also thought it was FEMA that went to Carnival for the ship. WRONG, Carnival came begging for the no bid deal. :grr: