Embattled FEMA Chief Removed From Hurricane Relief Efforts
By James Gerstenzang, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON -- Michael Brown, the embattled head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was removed from a direct role in running the relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security announced today.

Brown, whose agency has been criticized for imposing bureaucratic obstacles to relief efforts even before the winds and rain died down, was removed as the on-scene commander of the federal relief effort.

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He was being replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, Chertoff said.

The Department of Homeland Security, into which FEMA was absorbed when the nation's homeland defense operations were overhauled after the Sept. 11 attacks, presented the shift as a reflection of the ongoing needs of preparing for additional hurricane damage.

The department said Brown was returning to Washington to manage FEMA's national operations because it is still hurricane season "and he has done all he can do down there." The latest difficulties Brown faced were two reports that his official resume did not accurately reflect his work experience; one report indicated he had overstated his role as an emergency manager.

As those reports circulated, the White House appeared earlier in the day to distance itself from Brown.

As the recovery effort's problems compounded, Brown became as politically toxic as the soup of contaminated water that covered up to 80% of New Orleans.

And he became a problem for President Bush, who had given him a verbal, and very public, pat on the back, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job," during a visit to the region last Friday.

Amid reports that Brown's official resume may have overstated his emergency management experience, White House press secretary Scott McClellan declined to give Brown a public vote of confidence on Bush's behalf.

McClellan said Bush had not asked for Brown's resignation.

But, asked whether Bush had full confidence in the director of the government's premier emergency management official in aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the slow recovery effort, McClellan said: "What we are continuing to do is to support those all in the region who are carrying out the operational activities. We continue to appreciate the work of all those who have been working round the clock." "I think what you need to do is look at the overall situation. There are phases to this response effort, and we've been in immediate-needs phase for some time here now, for just over a week now, focusing on the lifesaving and life-sustaining missions," he said.

Asked again whether Bush had confidence in Brown, the president's spokesman said of his initial response: "I think that's the way to address the overall question. We appreciate all those who are working round the clock, and that's the way I would answer it." He did not answer a question about Brown's resume, referring the questioner to FEMA's statement taking issue with one of the reports.

TIME magazine and Newsday published raised questions about the accuracy of Brown's official biography.

The magazine said that Brown had listed, as is only previous job in emergency management before he joined FEMA four years ago, was "as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight."

It said the White House press release announcing his appointment said he had worked from 1975 to 1978 for the city of Edmond, Okla. "overseeing the emergency services division."

However, the magazine quoted Claudia Deakins, the head of public relations for the city, as saying that Brown had been an "assistant to the city manager" from 1977 to 1980, in a post that "is more like an intern." FEMA, according to the magazine, disputed the characterization, and said that Brown had said a large portion of the magazine's report "is very inaccurate."

The Newsday report said that when Brown was nominated to the top FEMA job in January, 2003, the White House said he had been "the Executive Director of the Independent Electrical Contractors." But, the Long Island, N.Y. newspaper said that two officials of the group reported that he had never been the national head of the group, although he had served as the executive director of a chapter, based in Colorado, for six weeks.

Brown, a Republican and a lawyer, had served for a decade with the International Arabian Horse Assn., a post that was not mentioned in the White House press release on his nomination.