Posted on 09/06/2005 6:58:14 PM PDT by PhilipFreneau
Michael D. Brown was nominated by President George W. Bush as the first Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the newly created Department of Homeland Security in January 2003. As the head of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Under Secretary Brown leads federal disaster response and recovery operations and coordinates disaster activities with more than two dozen federal agencies and departments and the American Red Cross. He also oversees the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration, and initiates proactive mitigation activities.
Additionally, Under Secretary Brown helps the Secretary of Homeland Security ensure the effectiveness of emergency responders, and directs the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center, the National Disaster Medical System and the Nuclear Incident Response Team.
Under Secretary Brown has led Homeland Security response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before.
Previously, Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.
Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.
Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University.
A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University, Oklahoma. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law.
» Read this bio on the FEMA site
» Speeches by Under Secretary Michael D. Brown
I messed up the second link (to his speechs). It is:
http://www.fema.gov/library/speech.shtm
Another lawyer, oh good.
" I thought you might be interested in Mike Brown's true background "
Unbelievable. But, not unexpected.
The left took his tenure as " counsel to the legal dept of the IAHA " and twisted it to defame Brown as nothing more than a stable boy.
No word anywhere that he is a lawyer, a law school professor, years of administrative practice, etc.
The left is even lower than " stuck on stupid."
>> Another lawyer, oh good.
So is Laura Ingraham. You gotta admit, Brown has a pretty impressive resume. The rumors floating around was that his only credential was that he was a member of a horsebreeders association, or something like that. Anyway, consider this part of his bio:
"Under Secretary Brown has led Homeland Security response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before."
The position needs to be retooled. A general or admiral, even a sergeant would be better than a lawyer. We need someone who has seen and handled dead people. Someone who knows the consequences of stupid orders and other fubars.
>> Another lawyer, oh good.
So is Neal Boortz
>> I nominate General Russell Honore. One of the Heroes of New Orleans!!
The General is too valuable on the 'Front Lines'. Besides, the Director position (or Under Secretary) should be an administrator. Mike Brown is doing just fine.
FEMA will take the blame for this fiasco, not because it was their fault, but because the structure under DHS was too bureaucratic. They need more autonomy.
Brown should be charged with Criminal Negligence.
If you take a look at his bio before his stellar work as FEMA administrator, you'll find that he was a lawyer for that horse trading association. Now, I am sure you'll agree that neither work as a counsel or a horse association counsel qualifies him as head of a disaster management agency. Also remember, this is the same fellow who claimed on Friday that the victims were getting all essentials. It tok an irritated rejoinder from Pres. Bush before he changed his tune.
>> FEMA will take the blame for this fiasco, not because it was their fault, but because the structure under DHS was too bureaucratic. They need more autonomy.
FEMA has worked out just fine in every situation since its implementation under the DHS, including this one. FEMA was merely a scapegoat by an MSM hell-bent on covering the butts of two leftist politicians (Blanco and Nagin) whose screw-ups have cost many lives. But when the truth comes out the only goats will be the Mayor of NO, the governor of LA, the MSM, and all others who bore false witness against Bush and members of his administration.
Another point: in a style not dissimilar to Rather-Gate, the MSM has 'virtually' forged Brown's resume to make him look like a lacky who was promoted beyond his skill-level (as in the Peter Principle), instead of the highly capable administrator he is. That will not go over well.
Warning! If you read something about a member of the Bush Administration that makes him or her look like an incompetent, it is most likely a well-crafted lie created by any one of the army of pathological liars of the left.
I'll be glad when this Katrina mess is cleaned up so I can get back to criticizing President Bush for his lack of enforcement of our borders.
I must have missed that part of his bio. Could you please post it?
I did read this part of his bio about his experience prior to taking over the leadership at FEMA:
Previously, Mr. Brown served as FEMA's Deputy Director and the agency's General Counsel. Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Mr. Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principal's Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.
Prior to joining FEMA, Mr. Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma, where he served as a bar examiner on ethics and professional responsibility for the Oklahoma Supreme Court and as a hearing examiner for the Colorado Supreme Court. He had been appointed as a special prosecutor in police disciplinary matters. While attending law school he was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues. His background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman.
Mr. Brown was also an adjunct professor of law for the Oklahoma City University."
That sounds pretty impressive to me. Which part did you not like?
>> If you take a look at his bio before his stellar work as FEMA administrator, you'll find that he was a lawyer for that horse trading association. <<
BTW, I looked that up, and he was not a lawyer, but the 'chief rules enforcer' for the Arabian Horse association. I read he was no-nonsense.
You called that "impressive"--WOW
Brown holds a B.A. in Public Administration/Political Science from Central State University. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University's School of Law. While attending law school Brown was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues.
During the 1980s he lived in Enid and practiced law there. He also taught at OCU law school as an adjunct.
In the 1970s he served as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight in Edmond, Oklahoma, and as a city councilman, although most of his career was spent in private practice. He ran for Congress in 1988 against Democratic Rep. Glenn English, but achieved only 27% of the vote.
Before joining DHS/FEMA, Brown was Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA) from 1989-2001, a position from which he was forced to resign[1] after an onslaught of lawsuits over disciplinary actions. [2] While IAHA won the lawsuits, they were nonetheless taking a toll on the organization, and some faulted Brown's intransigence and imperious attitude (he was nicknamed "The Czar"). [3]
After President Bush entered office in January 2001, Brown joined FEMA as General Counsel. He was hired by his old friend and college roommate, then-FEMA director Joe Allbaugh[7], who also ran George W Bush's election campaign in 2000. Allbaugh later made Brown his deputy director. Brown took over in January 2003 when Allbaugh left to join a private company.[8]
Shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Brown served on the President's Consequence Management Principals' Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. Later, the President asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, President Bush appointed him to the Transition Planning Office for the new Department of Homeland Security, serving as the transition leader for the EP&R Division.
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