E-mails Reveal FEMA Incompetence

While they may not leave behind a paper trail, e-mails and BlackBerry messages can be just as damaging, former FEMA director Brown learned this week. His electronic correspondence during the Hurricane Katrina crisis was released by a Louisiana congressman, and highlights a lack of leadership amidst an unfolding tragedy.

"Can I quit now? Can I go home?" Brown wrote in an e-mail to Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs, the morning Hurricane Katrina hit. "If you look at my lovely FEMA attire you'll really vomit," he followed up. "I am a fashion god."

Louisiana Representative Charlie Melancon posted the e-mails and an analysis to his Web site, and he says the documents had been downloaded over 325,000 times as of Thursday morning. Melancon's district south of New Orleans was devastated by Katrina.

Brown's messages showcase an important fact in an ever-connected business environment: no communication is hidden from oversight. The e-mails were provided by Brown's boss, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who has released only a sampling of messages sent during the disaster.

E-mails and private communications are often recorded by mail servers and can easily become critical evidence in trials and investigations. Microsoft learned its lesson after thousands of company messages were subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice for its antitrust suit against the Redmond company.

As the water filled up New Orleans and tens of thousands stood outside the Superdome waiting for food and water, Brown traded e-mails about "superfluous topics," Melancon said, including "problems finding a dog-sitter."

But Brown's failure to lead FEMA in a time of national crisis and his apparent complete lack of emergency management experience has sparked the most concern. He resigned from his position on September 12, just ten days after U.S. President George Bush told him, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

Two days after Katrina made landfall, FEMA's Marty Bahamonde -- one of the only employees in New Orleans -- wrote to Brown telling him the "situation is past critical." He noted that "hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water," and that many critically ill patients "will die within hours."

Brown responded by simply asking, "Thanks for the update. Any specific I need to do or tweak?"

A congressional committee is currently investigating the government's handling of Katrina and its aftermath. Brown defended his actions in testimony that claimed FEMA "is not a first responder," saying local and state officials should have done more.

Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff has kept Brown on the FEMA payroll while the investigation is completed to figure out what went wrong. Before being tapped by President Bush to head FEMA, Brown served as the stewards and judges commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association.