Here’s More On That Fake FEMA News Conference
Apparently the agency needed some good publicity after Katrina so they made some up.
On Tuesday, while “wildfires raged” in California, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), held a press conference at FEMA’s Southwest D.C. offices that was “carried live on Fox News, MSNBC and other outlets.” In the presser, Johnson said he was “very happy with FEMA’s response” while praising “the good messaging” of federal and local government responders.
Here’s a video of the fake news conference
Then the White House condemns the presser.
QUESTION: And from what we understand, the questions were posed not by reporters but by staffers. And that distinction was not made known. Is that appropriate?
PERINO: It is not. It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House or that we — we certainly don’t condone it. We didn’t know about it beforehand. … It’s not something I would have condoned. … FEMA is responsible.
Then the DHS rips the FEMA head.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keehner said that FEMA’s staged press conference is “inexcusable to the secretary.”
Then the FEMA official involved in fake press conference resigns but SOMEHOW lands a great job at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
On Tuesday, while “wildfires raged” in California, FEMA staged a live press conference at which agency staffers posed as journalists and asked softball questions. One of those staffers, Director of External Affairs John “Pat” Philbin, has now resigned. He has instead landed an “amazing opportunity” to head public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
You CANNOT make this stuff up.