Note: This diary has some really important news that is developing surrounding Hurricane Ike. Please try to skip over the first sixty or so comments about my spelling error (since corrected), and go to the meat of the story. Thanks! FP4A
Democratic Congressman Nick Lampsom (TX-22) is right this moment (9:15 pm CDT) on Channel 13 in Houston, being as politically correct but direct as possible, while using carefully chosen words to explain how FEMA is dropping the ball big time in Texas following Hurricane Ike.
According to Congressman Lampsom almost none of the promises made by FEMA before Hurricane Ike made landfall are being honored. In addition, FEMA is controlling the story, keeping the facts from the press, and trying to hide the ball they are dropping.
Even worse is the way the Federal Government is trying to keep the media away from the disaster areas and control the story. FEMA and the FAA are stepping all over Freedom Of The Press.
More below the fold.
Update:
Unbelievable. This made the Rec List. Thanks! (Please forgive me if I am not doing this update correctly, but want to get this additional information out while it is fresh).
To see the actual "NO FLY ZONE" order, go to http://tfr.faa.gov/...
I just called the FAA Houston TRACON to ask who issued the NOTAM. The Controller I spoke with was surprised that there was no indication in the file to indicate who issued the order, so he refereed me to the Flight Services Station (FSS) in Fort Worth.
First surprise is that was used to be the FAA FSS is now privatized as "Lockheed Martin Flight Services" but that will have to be another diary for another day. Anyway, Flight Services could not tell me who issued or authorized the NOTAM. Nothing in the record. So FSS referred me to the NOTAM office in Washington, DC. Called NOTAM office. Guess what? No indicaiton in the record as to who authorized the NOTAM. Only indication is that it was authorized and issued by "FAA Headquarters" in Washington, DC. Only thing he could do was refer me to the FAA FOIA Office and suggest I file a FOIA request.
What is FAA Headquarters in Washington DC doing issuing a No Fly Order for a small strip of otherwise deserted shoreline in Texas?
This story feels like it might have legs.
Chertoff Trying To Shift The Blame
Congressman Lampsom is telling Channel 13 in Houston that he was very strong and direct in his conversation this afternoon with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who was in Houston this afternoon touring flood-stricken areas, after which he held a new conference.
During the new conference Chertoff tried to shift the responsibility for the delays in receiving the meals and ice to the local city and county government. Already FEMA is trying to pull the same trick they did in Lousiana when they tried to shift the blame for their failure to the state and local government. By all reports Houston Mayor Bill White is extremely upset that FEMA is not responding as promised and is trying to shift responsibility to the city and county. In this case, they will not attempt to shift any of the blame to the state because Texas Governor Perry is a Bush mouthpiece and loyal Republican.
Congressman Lampsom and the Mayor of Houston are both extremely upset.
Even Republican Congressman Upset
In fact, it is already so bad, that even a Republican Congressman, John Culberson (TX-7) is upset with FEMA and sounding off about it. According to the Associated Press, Culberson was upset this afternoon because hundreds of first responders at two staging areas have run out of food and water. On Sunday, Culberson said that 300 National Guardsmen, state troopers and other emergency workers are going hungry at a high-school football stadium and at another staging area on Houston's west side, and blamed FEMA for the gaffe.
News Blackout
At the same time, in an unprecedented move, the FAA is keeping all of the news helicopters and other private aviation away from the disaster areas. The FAA has issued NO FLY ORDERS that prevents all general aviation aircraft from flying within one mile of the worst of the stricken areas, specifically the areas along the Boliver Peninsula, including the cities of Crystal Beach and Gilcrest, and the coastal city of High Island. Evacuees from those areas are reporting almost total devastation, but the media is not being allowed to see the areas and report the story.
What Are They Hiding?
What is the Bush administration hiding? Are they hiding FEMA's failures? Are they hiding the results of a natural disaster?
Obviously it has to be both. The last thing they need right now is for the public to see anything that reminds them of the absolute failures of FEMA and the Bush administration during Katrina.
Channel 13 in Houston is going to be all over this story. They are fighting mad that they are being kept away from the disaster areas and that the Federal Government is trying to control the media and the story.
To see the story unfolding, go to http://abclocal.go.com/... and click on the link for Watch live streaming video of our coverage of Ike's aftermath . Keep an eye out for reports by Channel 13 investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino, who is saying that the Federal Government is trying to keep the media and American people from seeing images reminiscent of New Orleans and Waveland, Mississippi until they have a chance to control the story and what we see.
Watch the video titled: "Wayne Dolcefino confronts Gov. Perry."