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usna09mom
Sat, 27 Oct 2007 22:17:00 +0000

FEMA blasted for ‘news’ conference

Agency employees, not reporters, asked questions at the event. Homeland Security calls the lapse ‘offensive and inexcusable.’

By Jordy Yager
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

FEMA blasted for 'news' conference;

October 27, 2007

WASHINGTON — No one had any hard questions for the deputy administrator of FEMA, an agency deeply tarnished by its delayed action after Hurricane Katrina, when he held a news conference Tuesday to talk about the California wildfires.

“Are you happy with FEMA’s response so far?” someone asked.

Indeed, the deputy administrator was. “I am very happy with FEMA’s response so far,” responded Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr.

The news conference looked like a success in the Bush administration’s effort this week to demonstrate it could respond competently to a disaster.

On Friday, however, the agency admitted that the softball questions were posed by FEMA employees, not reporters.

The White House was not happy with FEMA’s response.

“It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House,” said Press Secretary Dana Perino, mentioning three times that it was an “error in judgment.” “It’s not something I would have condoned, and they, I’m sure, will not do it again.”

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, was less happy.

“This is inexcusable and offensive, and stunts like this will not be tolerated or repeated,” said spokeswoman Laura Keehner. "It was a lapse of judgment, and we find it offensive, and it won’t happen again….”
FEMA blasted for 'news' conference;