Michael D. Brown

Michael DeWayne Brown ( born November 8, 1954 in Guymon, Texas County, Oklahoma) is an American lawyer and former government official. He was, until his resignation on 12 September 2005 Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA ).

Career

Prior to his appointment by President George W. Bush, he was at the Horse Breeders' Association International Arabian Horse Association and organized according to an open letter to the critic Michael Moore horse shows. To this end, he used to work in the emergency service of the city of Edmond; but a city spokesman explained that he was an "internal" - ie not a manager, the other employees were assumed. Brown and his two deputies who worked for Bush as a campaign manager during the presidential election of 2000. According to the Washington Post five of the eight top FEMA officials, including Browns were both deputy, to her job, even though they have little or no experience in disaster management brought.

The resignation of Michael Brown did not happen quite unexpectedly - because FEMA also alleviates the consequences of terrorist attacks, have been calls for his resignation. This happened after Hurricane Katrina where the help started off relatively late, and also because the slow reactions had shown that FEMA would be better or worse, not be able to cope with the effects of major terrorist attacks.

Brown already managed the operational aspects of disaster assistance in the area of Louisiana. The head of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, but it relieved after a few days of his body and he was back at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, DC ordered. His successor in the operation line was Thad W. Allen, Vice- Admiral of the Coast Guard.

He lives with his daughter Bianca Brown in Beverly Hills.

Controversy as FEMA Director

Hurricane Frances

In 2004, FEMA paid $ 30 million to residents of the City of Miami ( Florida) from a disaster relief fund - Miami was a city which was not affected by Hurricane Frances. Brown admitted that his agency had paid $ 12 million too much, but denied serious mistakes and made a computer glitch responsible. The editors of the newspaper South Florida Sun- Sentinel looked after her research Brown 's responsibility and demanded his dismissal.

In January 2005, the Democratic congressman Robert Wexler urged President Bush on the basis of the Sun-Sentinel reports to fire Brown. Wexler repeated his call in April to the address of Michael Chertoff with new allegations that FEMA for damage detection employee deal that had previous convictions for robbery and fraud.

Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005 - five hours after the hurricane had hit on the mainland - bot Brown first rescuers on that but only after two days of training could be used. He explained that the fire and rescue organizations should send outside of the affected areas no cars and saviors without a direct request from a state or local government, in order to avoid coordination problems. Limitations of federal powers had also been a problem, he said.

On September 1, 2005 Michael Brown told the CNN journalist Paula Zahn in an interview that he did not know that thousands of people without food and drinking water in the Ernest Morial Convention Center in New Orleans endured. TV images of unspeakable conditions at this property but were already shown at least a day before this interview. Brown also criticized the remaining in New Orleans citizens for their " refusal " to leave the city. Many people of the poor, especially the black population of New Orleans could not flee due to lack of car or money.

On 2 September 2005, the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley announced that he would send firefighters, police officers, doctors and health staff to the disaster area; but when he was just merely requested to provide a tank truck.

Further criticism came in November 2005 when Brown's e- mail correspondence was known. This showed that he was during the disaster less the coordination of civil protection devoted, but as voting his tie colors and suits with his press officer, or search for a suitable dog sitter.

Marty Bahamonde was pulled as the only FEMA employees in the Superdome in New Orleans when Hurricane over the city. About a satellite-based communication device, he reported in e-mails about the disastrous situation at this property. Bahamonde described the dire situation and that he himself slept on the floor. Brown then replied:

" Thanks for the update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak? "

German: ". Thanks for this info should I do or optimize anything? "

Another example, in an e- mail to his spokeswoman:

" Can I quit now? Can I come home? "

Discrepancies in the CV

Time magazine reported on 9 September 2005, Brown's resume on the FEMA website contained false information. According to the CV is Brown "assistant city manager" was (and no "internal" - the difference is whether it is a simple employee, or if he performs as a manager subordinates ), an "outstanding political science professor" ( it would have " director " should be called, ie a student of the third year course ) and that he had worked as director of a nursing home. FEMA officials have questioned the correctness of the allegations in question TIME.