[From the diaries -- Hunter Update [2005-9-26 21:56:30 by Hunter]: CBS updates: "Later this evening, CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger spoke with a spokesman for FEMA, Russ Knocke, who confirmed that Brown remains on the FEMA payroll. He also said that technically Brown remains at FEMA as a 'contractor' and he is 'transitioning out of his job.' The reason he will remain at FEMA about a month after his resignation, said the spokesman, is that the agency wants to get the 'proper download of his experience.'"]
Mike Brown. Yeah, that Mike Brown. He's been hired by the agency as a consultant.
Bob Scheiffer announced this on CBS News moments ago, stating that Brown annouced his re-hiring to congressional staffers. Guess what he'll be in charge of? SIGH. He will help evaluate how FEMA responded to the disaster.
I wish I were making this up.
Link to CBS News Blog below.
Update [2005-9-26 19:38:0 by lost]: Thanks to
theboz and all the other Kossacks for this link to the
CBS Rita Blog.
Sept. 26, 2005
6:44 p.m.
(CBS) — CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports that Michael Brown, who recently resigned as the head of the FEMA, has been rehired by the agency as a consultant to evaluate it's response following Hurricane Katrina.
Update [2005-9-26 20:6:40 by lost]:karmatipjar posted the link to Keith Olbermann's blog about Brownie's "new job":
At a meeting with staff of the special House committee looking into Katrina preparations today, the disgraced and displaced former FEMA director said he had rejoined the agency as a consultant to "provide a review" of how the agency functioned before, during, and after the storm. This according to two congressional sources.
A congressional aide told NBC News nobody's sure — but it is assumed Brown is being paid by FEMA. He is to testify tomorrow before that House committee, prompting our colleague Howard Fineman to joke that only in Washington would a man on his way to the electric chair be paid to belt himself in.
Update [2005-9-26 20:36:41 by lost]: In the interest of full disclosure, miholo alerted us to this AP story which contains this information:
Brown is continuing to work at the Federal Emergency Management Agency at full pay, with his Sept. 12 resignation not taking effect for two more weeks, said Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke.
During that time, Brown will advise the department on "some of his views on his experience with Katrina," as he transitions out of his job, Knocke said.
...which seems to indicate that Brown is merely continuing to do whatever the hell it is he did before until he can pack it in.
Update [2005-9-26 21:4:4 by lost]:And then there's this blurb from NBC News:
It turns out that former FEMA director Michael Brown is being retained by the agency as a "consultant."
Brown was on the Hill today to speak with staff at a special House committee in preparation for his testimony at a Tuesday hearing on Katrina. In the session, Brown said that he was working as a consultant "to provide a review" of Katrina preparations and immediate aftermath, according to two congressional sources.
Update [2005-9-26 21:55:46 by lost]: Last one for the night. scanner has pointed out that CBS updated the above posted link to now include this:
9:05 p.m.
(CBS) — Later this evening, CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger spoke with a spokesman for FEMA, Russ Knocke, who confirmed that Brown remains on the FEMA payroll. He also said that technically Brown remains at FEMA as a "contractor" and he is "transitioning out of his job." The reason he will remain at FEMA about a month after his resignation, said the spokesman, is that the agency wants to get the "proper download of his experience."
Note to FEMA: The download is corrupt. Force quit. NOW.