Inadequate Checks and Balances
Oct 5, 2005 at 4:39 AM by Political Chase
Tomorrow’s Washington Post reveals that the burden of responsibility for FEMA’s poor performance are broader than just the White House and Michael Brown. The Post portrays Congress and particularly Congressional committees as an integral part of the problem.
- Poor oversight from Senate and House committees in general, especially the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
- Reps. Katherine Harris (R-FL), Mark Foley (R-FL) and other members of the Florida delegation previously made formal complaints about FEMA’s performance which largely were put aside.
- Overall failure of Congress to perform its obligation to checks and balances in the government. Congress is reticent to speak out against the Executive Branch for purely partisan reasons.
Michael Brown was previously called to testify on the status of FEMA. Brown’s testimony:
He conceded problems in “very marginal cases†and called [Richard L. Skinner, acting inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security] “just wrong†about other findings.
That is in stark contrast to the emaciated FEMA Brown described in his recent testimony. Is someone looking into perjury?
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