Lieberman Confirmed Heckuva Job Brownie W/O Checking Any References!

[Dems Will Win]

Joe Hired Heckuva Job Brownie Without Checking Any References

This hearing, in June 2002, was just before the official enactment of the Department of Homeland Security. So everyone knew that FEMA was likely to be subsumed, but it wasn't law yet. In the statute that eventually created the Department of Homeland Security, Section 803, Subsection (d)(2), Congress allowed for previously Senate-confirmed officers "appointed to fill new offices in the Department whose duties are germane to their original offices may be appointed without undergoing an additional confirmation proceeding."

It appears, then, that Mike Brown suffered 42 breathtaking minutes of serious nothingness (unless Lieberman's withering questioning regarding whether Brown would sufficiently keep the Senate informed --- duh,yes) to become Deputy Director of FEMA. When FEMA was, just a few months later, subsumed into DHS, Brown didn't need to be Senate confirmed as his new position -- technically as Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response -- was "germane" to his old position. Guess that's true. But it means that the four Senators who showed up to confirm a deputy director were, in fact, confirming the head of America's entire emergency management apparatus.

Worse, still, besides Brown's obvious lack of qualifications, is the obvious lack of any serious questions about previous disasters, what would he do in a future disaster, his thoughts -- if he had any -- on what should be done.

Except one. In an eerie exchange between Lieberman and Brown, when Lieberman is concerned about nuclear facilities and evacuation plans in Connecticut, Brown says this:

I think my role is a very serious one. I think the agency's role is a very serious one, that we should not just wait for someone to petition or request that we evaluate, that those types of plans should be evaluated (plans regarding evacuations) on an ongoing basis. It would be my intent to somehow implement the ongoing evaluation so we do not have to look in hindsight and say, gosh, we wish we had looked at that. We should be looking at that all the time to make sure they (plans) are adequate, and I will pledge to you that we will certianly do that.

http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/8/234553/9235

I am glad the President has nominated someone already familiar with FEMA's mission to become Deputy Director. Mr. Brown is currently General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer of the agency, a position he has held since February of 2001. Before joining the Bush Administration, I note from his resume, he served as execu- tive director of the Independent Electrical Contractors in Denver. In the early 1980s, Mr. Brown served as staff director of the Oklahoma Senate's Finance Com- mittee, while serving on the Edmund, Oklahoma, City Council. He ran for Congress in the sixth district, and, in what I think is particularly useful experience, early in his career, was assistant city manager in Edmond, with responsibility for police, fire and emergency services.

...

Without calling any references Lieberman then said this:

Chairman LIEBERMAN . Mr. Brown, I thank you very much. I will certainly support your nomination. I will do my best to move it through the Committee as soon as possible so we can have you fully and legally at work in your new position. In the meantime, I thank you very much. I thank your family for their support of you, and at this point, we will adjourn the hearing.

There is a video of the Brownie Confirmation here:

http://hsgac.senate.gov/061902video.ram

Lamont is now attascking Lieberman for putting FEMA into Homeland Security, confirming Brownie in a 42 minute rubber stamp hearing, doing ZERO oversight, and now suggesting FEMA change its name.

All on the anniversay of Katrina. I predict this will put him nearly tied with the Indies and that's the end of Lieberman.

Democratic primary winner Ned Lamont is accusing U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, now running as an independent, of not holding the Bush administration accountable for failures in responding to the disaster.

Lamont also says Lieberman, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, mistakenly agreed to put the troubled Federal Emergency Management Agency under the control of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"I think FEMA worked really well when it had professional management as an independent agency," Lamont said in an interview this week. "And sure, it was Senator Lieberman who said, 'Let's redo FEMA.' It was Senator Lieberman who said, 'Let's put Michael Brown as No. 2 at FEMA.'"

Lieberman defends his record on Katrina, saying he visited the devastated region a week or two after the storm and several times later. He said he and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, issued a bipartisan Homeland Security Committee report in April that was critical of all levels of government, from the White House to the New Orleans mayor's office.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/24/AR2006082401475.html

Photoshopper ALERT! We need a new KISS! Of Lieberman Kissing "Heckuva Job" Brownie! It wasn't just Bush who hired Brownie, it was Joenertia himself. For that alone he deserves to be booted.

Also somewhere on the video above Joe must shake Lamont's hand. That would really make a great TV Ad! I need DUers to help find that shot and post it in this thread.

Please remember to recommend if you want to put pressure on the media to cover this more. And we at DU need to dig up everything we can!!

Here is the DailyKOS diary on this:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/25/54356/1288

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Search Engines!

[AndyA]

1. References? Joe didn't need to see any references. His buddy George

called him on the phone and told him to put this on the fast track, that they needed to get a good man like Heckuva Job Brownie on the payroll, ASAP. That's all Joe needed to hear, and being the good little Bush supporter that he is, he did as he was told.

That's why Joe needs to go. He does what Bush tells him to do, he does what the GOP wants him to do, but he won't do what the voters in Connecticut have indicated they want him to do - leave politics.

Take the hint, Joe. Shove off.

[GeorgeGist]

2. So Libleman...

ignored Brownie's tenure as Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Ass.

[sabbat hunter]

3. who else confirmed him

any other democrats? not everything that has gone wrong with our party is lieberman's fault you know.

[Dems Will Win]

4. I think Joe is ranking member of that committee for the Dems

So he would have been in charge...

[Dems Will Win]

5. kick

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

7. But Loserman is the only one who lost a Democratic Primary

and is still on the ballot opposing a DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR THE SAME OFFICE

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

8. What are the DU rules regarding post supporting

candidates who are running against DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES?????

[marmar]

6. More proof that Krazy Joe is nothing but a fraud...

A self serving jackass.

[Dems Will Win]

9. kick