Good of the Nation:1
Cronyism: 0

"FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Duties

FEMA Director Michael Brown is being removed from his role managing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, The Associated Press has learned.

Brown is being sent back to Washington from Baton Rouge, where he was the primary official overseeing the federal government's response to the disaster, according to two federal officials who declined to be identified before the announcement.

Brown will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad w. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief and rescue efforts.

Brown has been under fire because of the administration's slow response to the magnitude of the hurricane. On Thursday, questions were raised about whether he padded his resume to highlight his previous emergency management background.

Less than an hour before Brown's removal came to light, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Brown had not resigned and the president had not asked for his resignation.

McClellan did not directly answer a question about whether the president had full confidence in Brown.

"We appreciate all those who are working round the clock, and that's the way I would answer it," he said."

Also this from WaPo:

Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience

By Spencer S. Hsu

Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

(Which loaded with the Sprint Ad stating "Reinventing the Yes Man". Coincidence? I don't think so.) This is not to say that Brownie's relieved of all duties. He's still head of FEMA, just not in charge of Katrina. More to come later...

Technorati--FEMA; Katrina