Blanco calls for federal Katrina probe---Ex-director says White House tried to foil governor

[rudy23]

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washing...500.xml&coll=1

Blanco calls for federal Katrina probe
Ex-director says White House tried to foil governor
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
By Bill Walsh

WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco called on Congress Monday to create a bipartisan commission to investigate whether White House politics played a role in slowing the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Blanco's request was prompted by comments from former FEMA Director Michael Brown, who told a university class last week that in the days after the 2005 hurricane, the Republican Bush administration plotted to upstage Blanco, a Democrat, by pressuring her to relinquish control of the Louisiana National Guard as troops were mounting rescue efforts and trying to restore order in the area.

"Through Michael Brown's revelation this past weekend, all of us were sickened to hear that while thousands of our citizens were suffering during Hurricane Katrina, political operatives in the White House were playing party politics," Blanco said in a statement. "These individuals based key decisions of emergency response on the gender and party affiliation of elected officials, rather than the urgent needs of our people." (continued)

[xultar]

1. So if Zoe Millieberman won't do the investigation in the Senate others can

pick it up right?

[madfloridian]

2. Lieberman says no to investigating.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washington/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1168673400293640.xml&coll=1

WASHINGTON -- "Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman blasted the Bush administration last spring for failing to cooperate in the Senate's investigation of Hurricane Katrina. But now that he is in a key position to press the investigation, he is refusing to do so.

Spokeswoman Leslie Philips said Friday that Lieberman, the new chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, wouldn't issue subpoenas to the White House as he called for less than a year ago.

"The senator believes a more productive use of his time and that of his staff is to make sure legislative fixes are implemented and ensure that a response to a future catastrophe is better," Philips said. "The senator feels the American public has already concluded that the White House response was sorely lacking. Rather than take on the White House and open an old fight, he believes he can be more productive by moving forward."

[blm]

4. The failure of Democrats to push for full investigations has long been the

basis of the BFEE's strength and ability to regroup time and time again.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

Open the books on BushInc.

[seafan]

5. John Dean: "...only IF the 110th Congress has the will...",

Thus, if the 110th Congress, controlled by the Democrats, fails to get the information it needs -- and the public wants -- about the workings of the Bush/Cheney presidency, it will not be because it does not have the tools with which to obtain that information. Rather, it will be because it lacks the will to use those tools. ---John Dean, December 29, 2006

It is unacceptable to cower in the face of this * calamity!

If Lieberman insists on shielding * from investigation into his administration's shameful Katrina non-response, circumvent Lieberman and take the investigation to another committee that is committed to finding and exposing the truth!

Get with it, Congress!

[blm]

11. Since Ford's pardon, the congress has been conditioned to accept closed books

and moving on for 'the good of the nation' lie. The 'way to unite a divided country' lie.

The country WAS UNITED by a large majority who thought Nixon committed crimes in office and needed full investigation and that he should have to leave office. The moving on precedent meant continuing coverups for the next three decades that brought all those same people back into power time and time again.

NO MORE COVERUPS.

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. She should asked for an INDEPENDENT Commission to investigate!

Lieberman has a debt to pay to the repukes for reelecting him...NO INVESTIGATION of Katrina.:grr:

[rudy23]

6. I'm convinced the sabotage is going on today, to make Blanco look bad

I think all these FEMA mystery snafus (the ones that happen every day down here, and never get reported)

This really is the most logical answer to those questions like, "How can this be happening right now?" As much as our local government shares in this responsibility, I can still see the difference between incompetence and sabotage.

[blm]

12. very likely.

that's how they operate

[Emit]

7. Do you have a permalink for that story? Thanks. n/t

[seafan]

8. Link here

http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-1/116953815315500.xml?NSDC&coll=1

[rudy23]

9. Thanks. Sorry 'bout that, I don't know why that link was bad nt

[seafan]

10. Glad to help out. n/t