Michael Brown: Incompetent Moron, Poor Leader, Lousy Subordinate OR Convenient Scapegoat?

Michael Brown, the former director of FEMA that resigned in the aftermath of Katrina, testified before congress yesterday and presented some challenges for us to sort out. According to his testimony the entire Homeland Security organization is lacking strong leadership, a dysfunctional chain of command, and a failure of folks to communicate effectively. Several committee members questioned Brown, and it seemed like there was a partisan split on the dynamics that Brown outlined before them. The Democrats accepted Brown’s testimony that there was so much dysfunction and so many barriers to effective communication that none of the warnings, requests and alerts were handled properly. Republicans acknowledged that these issues were present but accused Brown of not using the chain of command within the Homeland Security organization, for pulling end-runs around DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and pointing out Brown’s mistakes. In many ways, as was identified by one senator, Brown fills the role of convenient scapegoat.

Sen Frank Lautenberg (D – New Jersey) identified issues of trust within the chain of command at DHS, as well as pointing out the CYA measures being presented by administration officials and called Brown the “designated scapegoat.” Lautenberg quoted President Bush saying to Brown, “Brownie, you’re doing a great job!” and cited the inconsistency between that statement immediately after the storm hit and the criticism that followed, leading to Brown’s departure from FEMA.

While Brown’s testimony is an about face from the statements made while he was employed as the FEMA director, it was also pointed out that President Bush and Secretary Chertoff had publicly praised and/or defended Brown and FEMA during immediate Katrina disaster relief efforts.

Senator John Warner (R – Virginia) brought to light the military roles and the legal entanglements that occur when National Guard and active duty military units respond to domestic disturbances and disasters. Warner also asked for clarification of issues that might preclude Brown from answering questions for which the Bush administration might claim executive privilege. Brown indicated that he was under legal restraint of executive privilege and executive orders in previous testimony and inquiries, but could now answer many of those questions since he is no longer a member of the executive branch.

“Brown called "a little disingenuous" and "just baloney" assertions by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other top Bush administration officials that they were unaware of the severity of the catastrophe for a day after Katrina struck on Aug. 29. Investigators say their inaction delayed the launch of federal emergency measures, rescue efforts and aid to tens of thousands of stranded New Orleans residents.” –Washington Post

Senator Robert Bennett (R – Utah) criticized Brown for his direct contacts to the White House, but admitted that Brown’s reports were “staggering” and identified a department that was profoundly “dysfunctional” in its chain of command. Bennett asked Brown if he ever made any attempts to discuss the problems and issues with Secretary Chertoff. Brown reported there were two unsuccessful attempts to to do so, but indicated his presence, position and views were all but ignored. He also cited being ignored under Secretary Ridge’s term of office as well. Brown pointed to past successes of FEMA in other disasters prior to Katrina by bypassing

While, Brown can be faulted for many things, we know from other sources that there were alerts, reports, and PowerPoint presentations that provided information regarding the threat of levees bursting, the potential catastrophic damage of a hurricane like Katrina, and the problems of evacuation, health and safety issues, and all that came to be. Additionally, we know that the US Army Corps of Engineers has been producing reports on the status and potential threats of the levees and locks along the Mississippi River for decades.

“Internal turf wars siphoned away FEMA's disaster response capability and funding, Brown said. If not repaired, he said, the Department of Homeland Security is ‘doomed to fail, and that will fail the country.’ Brown also cited a "disconnect" with Bush officials in the hours before and after Katrina hit. He said they were distracted by the fight against terrorism from the general threat posed by recurring natural disasters and from specific warnings that a direct hit by a projected Category 5 hurricane would swamp New Orleans and strand as many as 100,000 people.” – Washington Post

There seems to be a repetitive pattern in this report. The Bush administration is so entrenched in its views and efforts to combat an exaggerated sense of threat from terrorists that all other matters of government take a back seat to the prevailing views. It is not that the threat from terror is not present, it is that the threat is so profoundly exaggerated by the Bush administration that we have improperly invaded foreign nations, failed to properly plan our national security, sent national security forces (Reserve and National Guard units) away from our shores, and cut funding for FEMA and other civil defense programs. The only real intervention of a terrorist that the Bush administration can point to occurred in 2003 and involved the sharing of intelligence with other nations. It is important to note that it DID NOT involve electronic surveillance of American citizens to thwart that particular threat.

“‘It is my belief," Mr. Brown told the senators, that if "we've confirmed that a terrorist has blown up the 17th Street Canal levee, then everybody would have jumped all over that and been trying to do everything they could.’” – New York Times

This statement seems to reflect the overblown attention that the Bush administration is focusing on terrorism rather than a comprehensive homeland security plan. There are so many areas of security neglected because the focus is almost exclusively on terrorism. The threat of natural disaster, chemical explosion, major derailment of trains, attack on nuclear power plants, interruption of communications, biological weapons, etc. are being largely ignored in favor of wiretaps and intelligence gathering. The first and second layers of security (see previous posts) are inadequately prepared, making our homeland security approach full of holes and real opportunities for exploitation.

Brown also reported asking for millions of dollars 2003 to 2005 to redesign and refocus FEMA resources to better prepare for FEMA responsibilities of disaster recovery, post-disaster recovery, housing, etc., but that these requests were never submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and never received any attention.

While Brown may deserve to be where he is today, removed from leading FEMA, it appears that he may have gotten a “bad rap” regarding his performance… and that a lot of other people at DHS and the White House need to be out on the street as well.