by Last Night in Little Rock

FEMA Spokesperson and former Director Michael Brown is presently before a House Committee, reading from a script about what a great job FEMA did and that the local officials simply bickered and couldn't get their act together.

The first questioner, however, is Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA). It is getting interesting. It is on CNN, MSNBC, and C-Span. FoxNews, however, isn't covering it.

Even the CNN talking heads aren't buying this dissembling and blame shifting.

Update: CNN reports that all but two Democrats are boycotting the hearing, thereby, in their estimation, depriving the Committee hearing of some counterpoint, apparently expecting the Republicans to throw softballs. One Representative from Mississippi who lost his house was working Brown over, and Brown wasn't answering questions very well. The NY Times has posted a story with a link to live video.

If this were a trial, the jury wouldn't be believing any of it. My opinion is that he wasn't well prepped, if it was possible in the first place.

Can you believe this? Raw Story reports that according to CBS News, FEMA has rehired the recently resigned Mike Brown..."as a consultant to evaluate the agency's response to the disaster!"

CBS's Katrina Blog reports:

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.

by Last Night in Little Rock

Articles about no bid contracts from the Federal Emergency Mismanagement Agency are starting to pile up. Today's NY Times has "Many Contracts for Storm Work Raise Questions" quoting the Inspector General's Office of the Department of Homeland Insecurity.

The legal, judicial and corrections systems in Texas have been put on hold - and in many cases, sent packing. Prisoners have been moved, courts have closed and extended deadlines, law firms have shut down.

Humor has not, however, been suspended:

At the Galveston County Courthouse, a prerecorded message says all county operations have stopped. For those planning on serving their sentences in the county jail this weekend, the prerecorded message warns: "Do not show up. You'll serve it later."

by TChris

This would be funny if it weren't true. Joel Achenbach calls attention to a Republican proposal to find the money that will be needed to help Hurricane Katrina victims: audit the tax returns of poor people to make sure they qualify for the earned income tax credit. Why doesn't the GOP want to audit the rich, or close the myriad loopholes that allow corporations and the nation's wealthiest citizens to avoid tax liability?

by TChris

Where is the bold action the president promised to help the poor who were displaced from their gulf coast homes?

[A] measure to make all the evacuees Medicaid-eligible for the next five months (with an option for the president to extend the time) is pending before the Senate in a bill sponsored by the leaders of both parties and the chairman and ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee.

But it appears that the Bush administration, rather than backing this simple and effective measure, is insisting on a slower, more cumbersome approach, requiring each state to negotiate its own waiver from the rules limiting eligibility for Medicaid benefits.

As David Broder observes, "when the president is saying all the right things about the problems of poverty highlighted by the plight of Hurricane Katrina victims, his administration is dragging its feet on practical steps to help meet their needs."

Here's an open thread on Hurricane Rita. Right now, it's headed either to Houston or New Orleans, according to the tv news. Mostly, the news stations are killing time, waiting for the main event, which may not happen until late Friday or Saturday. Since I have to get back to court, here's a place for you all to discuss it.

by TChris

The Senate Judiciary Committee, as expected, voted to send the nomination of Judge John Roberts for Chief Justice to the full Senate with a recommendation for confirmation. His confirmation vote will be held next week.

All Committee Republicans voted in Roberts' favor. Also voting for Roberts were Senators Leahy, Kohl, and (surprisingly) Feingold. Keep in mind, however, that Feingold voted to confirm John Ashcroft as Attorney General on the theory that the president's nominations are entitled to deference.

Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, said he had been persuaded because of the nominee's "sterling reputation as a lawyer and a judge" and was therefore voting with "my hopes, not my fears." Senator Russell D. Feingold, a Democrat also from Wisconsin, said he was voting yes because he considered the nominee "a lawyer's lawyer," not an ideologue.

Let's hope he's right. The Democrats voting against Roberts were Senators Feinstein, Kennedy, Biden, Schumer, and Durbin.

The Houston Chronicle wants local hurricane bloggers:

Do you have a blog, live in the Houston-Galveston area and plan to ride the storm out? If so, we'd like your help with an experiment in citizen journalism. We're launching a blog this afternoon called Stormwatchers. We'd like volunteers in key parts of the area with experience blogging to tell us what they're seeing as the Hurricane Rita comes closer, makes landfall and moves on.

We're particularly interested in bloggers who live in the I-45 South corridor; in the Freeport/Angleton area; and the southwest area, including Katy.

More details at the link above. [Via Romanesko.]

by Last Night in Little Rock

The Wall Street Journal reports today that the GOP is using its Katrina relief efforts to support the GOP agenda.

Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy has announced he will back John Roberts for Chief Justice. Sen. Edward Kennedy said he will vote against him. John Kerry is likely to vote no as well.

Update: Excerpts from John Kerry's statement of reasons for opposing Roberts is here.

My biggest concern right now is that Justice Stevens will retire. That will mean Bush packs the court with three new conservatives.

Update (by TChris): David Corn weighs in, arguing that the Democratic leadership (such as it is) needs to stay in synch with its base rather than dividing on key issues.

by TChris

An economics professor believes oil companies gouged consumers when gas prices soared in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Eight governors have asked the oil president to investigate his oily industry buddies:

"When the wholesale price of gas went up by 60 cents almost overnight, oil companies were obviously using the most devastating natural disaster in our nation's history to reap a windfall at the expense of American consumers," said the letter, which was initiated by Gov. James E. Doyle of Wisconsin and was signed by governors from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.

The governors would also like Congress to enact legislation requiring the oil companies to disgorge their excessive profits.