Michael D. Brown

:For other people of the same name, see Michael Brown (disambiguation).

FEMA controversies and criticism

Hurricane Frances

In 2004, FEMA disbursed $30 million in disaster relief funds for Hurricane Frances to residents of Miami, Florida, a city which was not affected by the hurricane. Brown admitted to $12 million in overpayments, but denied any serious mistakes, blaming a computer glitch. After investigating, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote that Brown was responsible and called for him to be fired.{{ref|Sun}}

Related Topics:
2004 - Disaster relief - Hurricane Frances - Miami, Florida - Computer glitch - South Florida Sun-Sentinel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In January 2005, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) publicly urged President Bush to fire Brown, citing the Sun-Sentinels report. {{ref|wexler}} Wexler repeated his call in April to Chertoff, citing new reports that FEMA sent inspectors with criminal records of robbery and embezzlement to do damage assessments. {{ref|wex2}}

Related Topics:
Robert Wexler - Robbery - Embezzlement

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hurricane Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many Democratic politicians called for Brown to be fired immediately, including California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski, New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, Colorado Senator Ken Salazar, Michigan Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick and Senator Debbie Stabenow, Louisiana State Rep. Peter Sullivan, Nevada Senator Harry Reid, and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin.

Related Topics:
California - Nancy Pelosi - Maryland - Barbara Mikulski - New York - Hillary Clinton - Charles Schumer - Colorado - Ken Salazar - Michigan - Carolyn Kilpatrick - Debbie Stabenow - Louisiana - Peter Sullivan - Nevada - Harry Reid - Illinois - Dick Durbin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Republican politicians such as Senator Trent Lott have also criticized Brown's leadership of FEMA. Brown's performance was defended, however, by Republicans such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Presidential speechwriter Pat Buchanan. President Bush publicly praised Brown's handling of the disaster, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050926/chronicle

Related Topics:
Trent Lott - New York City - Rudy Giuliani - Florida - Jeb Bush - Pat Buchanan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On August 29, 2005, five hours after the hurricane hit land, Brown made his first request for Homeland Security rescue workers, to be deployed to the disaster area only after two days of training. {{ref|DHSmemo}} He also told fire and rescue departments outside affected areas to refrain from providing trucks or emergency workers without a direct appeal from state or local governments in order to avoid coordination problems and the accusation of overstepping federal authority.

Related Topics:
August 29 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On September 1, 2005, Brown told Paula Zahn of CNN that he was unaware that New Orleans officials had housed thousands of evacuees, who quickly ran out of food and water, in the Convention Center--even though major news outlets had been reporting on the evacuees' plight for at least a day. He also criticized those that were stuck in New Orleans as those "who chose not to evacuate, who chose not to leave the city" (disobeying a mandatory evacuation order).

Related Topics:
September 1 - 2005 - Paula Zahn - CNN - New Orleans

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On September 2, 2005, Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley stated that he pledged firefighters, police officers, health department workers, and other resources on behalf of the city, but was only asked to send one tank truck.{{ref|Trib}}

Related Topics:
September 2 - 2005 - Mayor - Chicago - Richard M. Daley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~