Brownie: Paid To Aid Investigation Of Katrina , Refuses To Cooperate

[laststeamtrain]

For nearly 2 months after Mike Brown was forced to resign from FEMA for his incompetent response to Hurricane Katrina, he continued to collect his full $148,000 salary as a “consultant.” Why was Brown retained? According to a FEMA spokeswoman, it was so he could fully cooperate with the investigations into what went wrong:

FEMA spokeswoman Nicol Andrews confirmed that Brown is still on FEMA’s payroll as a consultant. She said he works from home, where he is “pulling all the documentation together” to aid in the investigations into the government’s response to Katrina.
<snip>
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/25/brown-refuses-to-cooperate/

[Skidmore]

1. So what kind of government documentation is he allowed to

keep in his home? I think not. He knows where an important body is buried and they are keeping him quiet.

[quiet.american]

2. And, you know, who's paying this %$#@!* -- we are. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. He probably has Federally paid health insurance too.

:grr:

[spindrifter]

4. Guess he must not have a lot of calls

for his private consulting services. Oh, well.

But I am outraged that this guy is getting paid any additional consulting money by FEMA.

[magellan]

5. But of course

I know that when I fuck up royally at work and make my employer look bad, he's happy to keep me on at my exorbitant salary so I can work at home. :sarcasm:

And Bushies defend this BS from BushCo when they'd be the first to complain if an equally incompetent co-worker of theirs was favored so outrageously.

[Jacobin]

6. Just wait. The SOB will get the Medal of Freedom

All the major fuck ups in this administration get it.

He surely deserves it.

[Zenlitened]

7. Contempt of Congress

Contempt of Congress is initiated by a resolution reported from the affected congressional committee which can cite any individual for contempt. The resolution must then be adopted by the House or Senate. If the relevant chamber adopts the contempt resolution recommended by one of its committees, the matter is referred to a U.S. Attorney for prosecution. The U.S. Attorney may call in a grand jury to decide whether or not to indict and prosecute. If prosecuted by the courts and found guilty of contempt, the punishment is presently set at up to one year in prison and/or up to $1,000 in fines.

The last high-ranking federal official to be held in contempt was Anne Gorsuch, then administrator of the EPA, in 1982. The House voted the citation for her refusal to provide requested documents concerning the Superfund to the Energy and Commerce Committee then chaired by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI). Prosecution of her case was halted after the Reagan White House negotiated an agreement to allow access to the papers.

Contempt resolutions have most often been issued in two categories: (1) for reasons of refusing to testify or failing to provide Congress with requested documents or answers, and (2) bribing or libeling a Member of Congress. Contempt citations are limited to matters which relate to legislative purposes and which fall within the affected committee's established jurisdiction.

More:
http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly9.htm

[Marleyb]

8. meanwhile

our veterans go without healthcare, poor people are starving and freezing...Katrina victims still don't have the basic necessities...

these people have to go...NOW!