Michael Brown

Michael DeWayne Brown (born November 8, 1954) was Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) The purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a Disaster which has occurred in the United States and which overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities He was appointed in January, 2003 by President George W. Bush and resigned in September, 2005 following public outcry over his handling of Hurricane Katrina. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina (a Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States

Background

Brown was born in Guymon, Oklahoma, on November 8, 1954. Guymon is a city in and the County seat of Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) He received a B.A. in public administration/political science from Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma) in 1978, where he started the first UCO College Republicans group. Public administration can be broadly described as the development implementation and study of branches of government Policy. Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a four year Coeducational public University located in Edmond, The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a four year Coeducational public University located in Edmond, He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University's School of Law in 1981. Juris Doctor (abbreviated JD or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a first professional graduate degree and Professional Oklahoma City University, abbreviated OCU, is a Coeducational, urban private University located in Oklahoma City, in the Midtown

While he was in college, from 1975 to 1978, he handled "labor and budget matters" ^[1] as an administrative assistant to the city manager of Edmond, Oklahoma (1980 population of 58,123). personal assistantAn assistant is a Person or electronic tool who or that assists another person accomplish his or her goals A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a City, in a council-manager form of city government Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state His White House biography states that he had emergency services oversight in this position. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Emergency services are organizations which ensure Public safety by addressing different emergencies However, the head of public relations for the city denied that Brown had oversight over anybody and explained that "the assistant is more like an intern. An intern or stagiaire is one who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment making it similar to an Apprenticeship " ^[2] Brown disputes this characterization of his position, and the city official cited by Time in this quote claimed on a local news broadcast (Oklahoma City's News 9) that the remark was taken out of context. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. KWTV, commonly referred to as "News 9" is the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City Oklahoma.

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 from 1980-1982. A law school (also known as a school of law or college of law) is an institution specializing in Legal education. The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the Legislative branch of the Government of Oklahoma. In 1981, he was elected to the city council for Edmond, but resigned to work in private practice^[3]. A city council is a form of Local government, usually covering a City or other Urban area, such as a Town.

Later in the 1980s he lived in Enid and practiced law there. Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. The Population was 47045 at the 2000 census. A senior partner at the firm later described him as "not serious and somewhat shallow. " (ibid). Michael DeWayne Brown (born November 8, 1954) was Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R a division of the Department of Homeland Of 37 lawyers with Jones's firm, Brown was one of two let go when Jones and his partners decided to split up the firm.

He also taught at OCU law school as an adjunct. The meaning of the word professor ( Latin: professor, person who professes to be an expert in some art or science teacher of highest rank) varies From 1982-1988, he was the chairman of the board of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority. Several power plants were built during his tenure. A power station (also referred to as generating station, power plant or powerhouse) is an industrial facility for the generation of One hydroelectric plant located at Kaw Reservoir was completed in 1989 and named the Michael D. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water Brown Hydroelectric Power Plant and Dam in his honor. Kay County commissioners have formed a committee to rename the plant. Kay County is a County located in the US state of Oklahoma. As of 2000 the population was 48080

He ran for Congress in 1988 against Democratic incumbent Glenn English, who had not been challenged in the previous election. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Glenn Lee English Jr (born November 30, 1940) is a US Democratic Politician who represented Oklahoma's 6th Congressional English's well-financed campaign trounced Brown with 122,763 votes against 45,199. After losing, Brown promised to try again in 1990, saying, "I have an excellent chance of prevailing. It's a Democratic state, but a very Republican district. "^[4] In fact, he did not run in 1990, and English beat his Republican opponent, Robert Burns, 110,100 votes to 27,540.

Brown is married and has two children.

IAHA tenure

Before joining the DHS/FEMA, Brown was the Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Association, (IAHA), from 1989-2001. The Arabian Horse Association (AHA is the single national organization that is the only Breed registry that registers Arabian horses in the United States After numerous lawsuits were filed against the organization over disciplinary actions^[5], Brown was forced to resign. In law a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a Court in which the party commencing the action the Plaintiff, seeks a legal or equitable remedy ^[6]

A March 2000 two-part report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, chronicling one of the disciplinary actions, lauded Brown for pursuing an investigation against David Boggs, "the kingpin of the Arabian horse world", despite internal pressure to end the inquiry. The St Louis Post-Dispatch is the only major city-wide Newspaper in St ^[6] The Brown-led investigation found Boggs performed medically unnecessary surgery on horses to enhance their visual appeal. An ethics board suspended Boggs for five years. Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life Boggs protested through multiple lawsuits against both the organization and Brown, alleging slander and defamation. Brown and the IAHA prevailed, but the lawsuits nonetheless took a toll on morale. Some members interviewed felt Brown showed an imperious attitude, and nicknamed him "The Czar. " ^[7]

Brown started his own legal defense fund before resigning, a move he said was necessary to protect his family's assets. ^[8] However, some IAHA insiders claimed that this was what really led to his ouster. He raised money from breeders for the fund as well as IAHA, creating a conflict of interest. Horse breeding refers to reproduction in Horses and particularly the human-directed process of Selective breeding of animals particularly Purebred Also, his contract stipulated that IAHA was to pay all his personal legal expenses, on top of his $100,000 annual salary. A contract is an exchange of promises between two or more parties to do or refrain from doing an act which is enforceable in a court of law IAHA became financially depleted, and had to be merged with the Arabian Horse Registry of America. ^[9]

Bush administration service

After Bush entered office in January 2001, Brown joined FEMA as General Counsel. A general counsel is the chief Lawyer of a legal department usually in a corporation or government department He was the first person hired by his long-time friend, then-FEMA director Joe Allbaugh^[10], who also ran Bush's election campaign in 2000. Joe M Allbaugh (born July 27, 1952) is an American political figure in the Republican Party. Allbaugh later named Brown his acting deputy director in September 2001. President Bush formally nominated him as deputy director on March 22, 2002, and the Senate confirmed him many months later. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Soon thereafter Allbaugh left government and President Bush nominated Brown again in January 2003 for the directorship^[11]. Brown was sworn in to his position on April 15, 2003. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Before that, shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks, Brown served on the Consequence Management Principals' Committee, which acted as the White House's policy coordination group for the federal domestic response to the attacks. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Later, Bush asked him to head the Consequence Management Working Group to identify and resolve key issues regarding the federal response plan. In August 2002, 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. As undersecretary, Brown also directed the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center, the National Disaster Medical System and the Nuclear Incident Response Team.

On August 31, 2005, following Hurricane Katrina being named an "Incident of National Significance", Brown was named the Principal Federal Official and placed in charge of the federal government's response by Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States Michael B Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is the current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act On September 7, 2005, then Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen was named Brown's deputy and given operational control of search and rescue and recovery efforts. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Admiral Thad William Allen, USCG (born January 16, 1949) is the twenty-third Commandant of the United States Coast Guard For the TV series of this title see Search and Rescue (TV series. ^[12]

On September 9, 2005, Chertoff relieved Brown of all on-site relief duties along the Gulf Coast, officially replacing him with then VADM Allen. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. Brown remained Under Secretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response. Brown told the Associated Press that "the press" was making him a scapegoat for the allegedly slow federal response to the hurricane. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio scapegoat was a Goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in Judaism during the times ^[13]

On September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation as director of FEMA. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He commented that the negative publicity surrounding him was distracting attention from the relief effort.

Chertoff granted Brown two 30-day contract extensions in order not to "sacrifice the real ability to get a full picture of Mike's experiences. " Brown continued to receive his $148,000 annual salary until November 2, 2005, when he left in the middle of the second 30-day extension. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Resignation from FEMA

On September 12, 2005, in the wake of what was widely believed to be feckless handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and facing allegations that he had falsified portions of his résumé, Brown resigned, saying that it was "in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States " ^[14]. His credibility with the public was further shaken when it emerged that he had had no emergency management experience before joining FEMA. The Boston Herald revealed that Brown had previously spent 11 years overseeing horse trial judges and stewards for the Arabian Horse Association, and that the Association had asked him to resign. The Boston Herald is a Tabloid -format Daily newspaper, the smaller of the two big dailies in Boston Massachusetts, United States The Arabian Horse Association (AHA is the single national organization that is the only Breed registry that registers Arabian horses in the United States

By the time he resigned from FEMA, Brown had already been discharged from his functions as coordinator of the federal efforts in New Orleans and Gulf Coast by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and was sent back to Washington to continue FEMA's central operations. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. Michael B Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is the current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act President Bush, who had appointed Brown in 2003, praised Brown shortly after the storm hit, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job,"^[15] but later deflected questions about the resignation, except to deny having discussed the resignation with him.

At least one reliable source, The Economist, recognized the likelihood that Brown was "pushed" out by the administration rather than having resigned voluntarily, although internal e-mails from Brown indicated that he was already planning to leave FEMA at the time Hurricane Katrina hit. The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States ^[16] The same suggestion was made by at least one member of Congress during a hearing on what went wrong during Katrina. Brown concentrated his testimony at that hearing on alleging that Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin bore most if not all of the blame for the failures in the response to Katrina, and that his only fault had been not to realize sooner the inability of Blanco and Nagin to perform their respective duties. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (born December 15, 1942) is a former Democratic Governor of Louisiana, having served from January 2004 until January Clarence Ray Nagin Jr (ˈneɪgɨn (born June 11, 1956) is the Mayor of New Orleans. This testimony drew harshly skeptical responses from some members of the Congressional panel, and by the next day it was alleged by Governor Blanco that Brown had committed perjury under oath. Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under Oath or Affirmation in a

After his September 12 resignation, Brown continued working for FEMA as a contractor to help the agency assess what went wrong in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States On September 27, 2005, Brown testified before the House Select Committee on Katrina Preparation and Response that he was paid an annual salary of $148,000 at FEMA. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

On November 2, 2005, Brown ended his contract early (it had been extended to mid-November by Secretary Chertoff) and left the federal government. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

On January 18, 2006, Brown stated that certainly things could have been handled differently, such as calling in the military. Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. As one of the largest natural disasters to ever strike the US, he stated, "It was beyond the capacity of the state and local governments, and it was beyond the capacity of FEMA. "^[17] On February 10, 2006, Brown again testified before Congress, this time placing blame on the Department of Homeland Security for the poor handling of the disaster, asserting that the anti-terrorism focus of the Department had caused it to deny resources needed to FEMA. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. In his February 2006 testimony, Brown also contradicted earlier claims that the White House was unaware of levees having been breached, stating: "For them to claim that we didn’t have awareness of it is just baloney. "^[18]

On March 1, 2006, AP re-released a recording of Michael Brown and the President in a video conference in which the vulnerability of the levee system was raised with a great deal of concern over potential loss of life. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The President denied any awareness of the possibility of a levee-related catastrophe in a live interview. ^[19]

Work for InferX Company

Brown began as an adviser to a publicly traded company, InferX^[20], which claims its technology is the answer to the U. S. A's security concerns, as well as the credibility problems of the DHS and FEMA. The purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a Disaster which has occurred in the United States and which overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities Brown has been on the media circuit talking about technology that claims to screen for terror suspects, track threats in shipping containers and cargo hauling, and gather data for law enforcement tracking. As of December 2007, Brown was named CEO of InferX.

Work for Cotton Companies

As of 2007, Brown worked for Cotton Companies, a private firm specializing in disaster recovery. Throughout 2007 and early 2008 Brown made appearances to the press on behalf of Cotton companies. In these appearances, he referred to the lessons that he had learned from his experiences as the head of FEMA during Hurricane Katrina. ^[21]

FEMA controversies and criticism

Hurricane Frances

In 2004, FEMA disbursed $30 million in disaster relief funds for Hurricane Frances to residents of Miami, Florida, a city which was not affected by the hurricane. Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Brown admitted to $12 million in overpayments, but denied any serious mistakes, blaming a computer glitch. A glitch is a short-lived Fault in a system The term is particularly common in the Computing and Electronics industries and in Circuit bending After investigating, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote that Brown was responsible and called for him to be fired. The South Florida Sun Sentinel, owned by the Tribune Company, is the main daily Newspaper of Fort Lauderdale Florida, U ^[22]

In January 2005, U. S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) publicly urged President Bush to fire Brown, citing the Sun-Sentinel 's report. Robert Wexler (born January 2, 1961) is an American politician from the U ^[23] Wexler repeated his call in April to Chertoff, citing new reports that FEMA sent inspectors with criminal records of robbery and embezzlement to do damage assessments. Robbery is the Crime of seizing Property through Violence or Intimidation. Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets usually financial in nature by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted ^[24]

Hurricane Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many Democratic politicians called for Brown to be fired immediately, including California Rep. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nancy Pelosi, Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski, New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, Colorado Senator Ken Salazar, Michigan Rep. Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (born March 26 1940 is the current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Barbara Ann Mikulski (born July 20, 1936) is an American Politician of the Democratic Party, and the senior Senator New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (born November 23, 1950) is the senior U The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American politician, rancher and environmentalist from the U Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Carolyn Kilpatrick and Senator Debbie Stabenow, Louisiana State Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (born June 25, 1945, Detroit Michigan) is an American politician and mother of former Detroit mayor Kwame Deborah Ann "Debbie" Stabenow (born Deborah Ann Greer on April 29, 1950) is a Democratic United States Senator from The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Peter Sullivan, Nevada Senator Harry Reid, and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. Peter Sullivan may refer to Peter Sullivan (politician, alderman and a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from Manchester New Hampshire Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Harry Mason Reid (born December 2 1939 is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, as well as The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union.

Post Katrina, many New Orleanians added graffiti to their trashed appliances set on curbs to be hauled away. Here a refrigerator inscription satirizes Bush's "Heck of a job" praise for Brown.

Republican politicians such as Senator Trent Lott have also criticized Brown's leadership of FEMA. Chester Trent Lott Sr (born October 9, 1941) is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party Brown's performance was defended, however, by Republicans such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Presidential speechwriter Pat Buchanan. The City of New York KBE Per, "Postnominal letters should be included when they are issued by a country or organization the subject has been closely associated with Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American Politician and was the 43rd Governor of Florida Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan (born November 2 1938 is an American Political commentator, Author, syndicated Columnist At the Mobile (Alabama) Regional Airport on September 2, 2005, President Bush publicly praised Brown's handling of the disaster, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. Mobile Regional Airport is an Airport located 11 miles (18 km west of the Central business district of Mobile, a city in Mobile County Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "^[15] "Heck of a job" soon became sarcastic slang for things done very poorly. ^[25][26][27]

Brown also wanted to know whether there were enough federal medical teams in place to treat evacuees in the Superdome.

Bush appeared on the tape sitting at a table in a small room at his Crawford, Texas ranch. Crawford is a town located in western McLennan County, Texas, United States. He did not ask any questions. He told state officials that the federal government was prepared to handle the storm and its aftermath.

"I want to assure the folks at the state level that we are fully prepared to not only help you during the storm, but we will move in whatever resources and assets we have at our disposal after the storm", he said. ^[28]

On August 29, 2005, five hours after the hurricane hit land, Brown made his first request for Homeland Security rescue workers, to be deployed to the disaster area only after two days of training. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[29] He also told fire and rescue departments outside affected areas to refrain from providing trucks or emergency workers without a direct appeal from state or local governments in order to avoid coordination problems and the accusation of overstepping federal authority.

On September 1, 2005, Brown told Paula Zahn of CNN that he was unaware that New Orleans' officials had housed thousands of evacuees, who quickly ran out of food and water, in the Convention Center — even though major news outlets had been reporting on the evacuees' plight for at least a day. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paula Zahn (born February 24, 1956 in Omaha Nebraska) is an American newscaster, most recently the host of Paula Zahn Now Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana He also criticized those that were stuck in New Orleans as those "who chose not to evacuate, who chose not to leave the city" (disobeying a mandatory evacuation order).

On September 2, 2005, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley stated that he pledged firefighters, police officers, health department workers, and other resources on behalf of the city, but was only asked to send one tank truck. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Mayors of Chicago, Illinois, current or previous The mayoral term in Chicago was two years from 1837 through 1907 at which time it was lengthened to four Richard Michael Daley (born April 24 1942 is a United States Politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party and current mayor ^[30]

Controversy arose in November 2005 as a House committee investigating the response to Katrina released about 1,000 e-mail messages between Brown, staff and acquaintances. On the day Katrina struck, Brown wrote "Can I quit now? Can I go home?" He later quipped to a friend on September 2 that he could not meet her because he was "trapped [as FEMA head] . Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. . . please rescue me. " On August 29 (the day the hurricane hit), Brown also quipped in e-mail to a co-worker, "I am a fashion god" because he shopped at the upscale department store Nordstrom^[31]. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) A department store is a Retail establishment which specializes in selling a wide range of products without a single predominant merchandise line. Nordstrom Inc ( is an upscale Department store chain in the United States. In another e-mail, Brown's press secretary, Sharon Worthy, advised him to roll up his sleeves "to look more hard-working. " "Even the president rolled his sleeves to just below the elbow. "^[32] An e-mail offering critical medical equipment went unanswered for four days. ^[32]

On Thanksgiving week in 2005, Michael Brown was No. 1 on CNN's "Political Turkey of the Year" list for his ineptitude during the events of Hurricane Katrina. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States

On August 28, 2007, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards proposed what he called "Brownie's Law" requiring that "qualified people, not political hacks", lead key federal agencies. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Johnny Reid "John" Edwards (born June 10 1953 ^[33]

Media commentary

Calls for dismissal or resignation

Charles Krauthammer described Brown as "late, slow and in way over his head" in response to Hurricane Katrina. Charles Krauthammer (born March 13, 1950 in New York City) is a Pulitzer Prize -winning syndicated columnist and Commentator ^[34]

On September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation as director. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Accusations of false claims in Brown's credentials

TIME reported on Friday, September 9, 2005, that it had discovered^[35] serious inaccuracies and false claims within Brown's biography posted on FEMA's web site (FEMA) and on FindLaw, a legal directory with information provided directly by attorneys and their offices (FindLaw). Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. FindLawcom is a free legal information Web portal owned by Thomson Reuters. A FEMA representative replied that "Mike Brown states there are many inaccuracies in the article. "

Brown claimed previous emergency experience as "assistant city manager with emergency services oversight" for the city of Edmond, Oklahoma. According to interviews and records obtained by TIME, Brown was a college intern in the city manager's office, without hiring, firing, or other management responsibilities. Brown claims to have won the "Outstanding Political Science Professor, Central State University" award; according to the University Relations office, Brown had been a student, not a faculty member. In the "Professional Associations and Memberships" section of his FindLaw biography, Brown claims to be a Director of the Oklahoma Christian Home from 1983 to the present. But according to an administrator with the Home, Brown is "not a person that anyone here is familiar with. "

The TIME article missed another possible fabrication in Brown's FindLaw biography. According to this biography, Brown graduated from college in 1978 and almost immediately afterward began serving as Chairman of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority from 1980 through the present. Yet the website of the OMPA (OMPA), which has only a couple dozen employees, does not list Brown as Chairman, an officer or an employee. According to the OMPA, Charles Lam serves as Chairman and none of the employees interviewed knew of any association between Michael Brown and the OMPA.

Several New Orleans Mardi Gras krewes satirized Michael Brown in their 2006 parades. See also Mardi Gras Mardi Gras in New Orleans Louisiana is one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world A Krewe (pronounced in the same way as "crew" is an organization that puts on a Parade and or a ball for the Carnival season The Krewe du Vieux sarcastically proclaimed him a grand marshall with a float with an empty chair with an "Out to Dinner" sign. KdV99HatHandjpg|right|thumbnail|191px|Marching krewe member]] The Krewe du Vieux is a New Orleans Mardi Gras or Carnival Krewe, originally and more

Conservative bloggers

Michelle Malkin stated about Brown: if someone is a worthless sack of bones, I'll say so. Michelle Malkin (née Maglalang) (born October 20 1970 is an American conservative Columnist, Blogger Author, and political commentator And I don't care if he has 'Bush appointee' stamped on his forehead or a GOP elephant tattooed to his backside. Brown's clueless public comments after landfall are reason enough to give him the boot. . . and he should have never been there in the first place. "^[36]

Praise

Columnist Al Kamen of the Washington Post wrote on December 5, 2001, "the White House has searched high and low to find a deputy director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, only to discover the best candidate was right there among them all along, serving as FEMA general counsel and acting deputy director"^[37]. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence

Brown's appointment to the head of FEMA in early 2003 went largely unnoticed by the media. However, the Denver Post praised the Aurora, Colorado resident as an effective leader. The Denver Post is a daily Newspaper and online website published in Denver Colorado. The City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality that is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 59th most populous city The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. An editorial in the paper in welcoming his nomination opened, "Michael D. Brown is a lawyer by trade, but will need a juggler's skill as the new chief of the nation's key emergency response agency. "^[38] News items in the paper credited Brown with a "key role" in the government's September 11, 2001 recovery efforts. ^[39]

On September 2, 2005, President George W. Bush said, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job", praising Brown's response to Hurricane Katrina. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States ^[15]

References

External links

• How Reliable Is Brown's Résumé?, TIME Online Edition, September 8, 2005
• Mike Brown's padded résumé, The New Republic, September 8, 2005 (registration required)
• White House biography of Brown
• Martindale entry
• Lawyer Profile at FindLaw (modified on 8 September and 12 September 2005)
• Michael Brown's campaign contributions from Newsmeat
• Michael Brown e-mails during Katrina
• Real News Project investigation, "Unholy Trinity: Katrina, Allbaugh and Brown"
• Michael D. Brown at the Internet Movie Database
• John Humphrey Interviews Michael Brown, May 8, 2007