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Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding

By Jeralyn, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Fri Sep 09, 2005 at 08:14:08 PM EST
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As Last Night in Little Rock noted here, Time Magazine has the details of Mike Brown's alleged resume padding. Mark Schmitt at TPM Cafe wonders whether the info wasn't put out by the Bush Administration to justify letting him go - kind of like Bernie Kerik's "non-existent nanny problem."

More padding details from the Time article:

Brown's FindLaw profile lists a wide range of areas of legal practice, from estate planning to family law to sports. However, one former colleague does not remember Brown's work as sterling. Stephen Jones, a prominent Oklahoma lawyer who was lead defense attorney on the Timothy McVeigh case, was Brown's boss for two-and-a-half years in the early '80s. "He did mainly transactional work, not litigation," says Jones. "There was a feeling that he was not serious and somewhat shallow." Jones says when his law firm split, Brown was one of two staffers who was let go.

Here's more:

Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management, according to his bio posted on FEMA's website, was "serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight." The White House press release from 2001 stated that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 "overseeing the emergency services division." In fact, according to Claudia Deakins, head of public relations for the city of Edmond, Brown was an "assistant to the city manager" from 1977 to 1980, not a manager himself, and had no authority over other employees. "The assistant is more like an intern," she told TIME.

...Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management, according to his bio posted on FEMA's website, was "serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight." The White House press release from 2001 stated that Brown worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., from 1975 to 1978 "overseeing the emergency services division." In fact, according to Claudia Deakins, head of public relations for the city of Edmond, Brown was an "assistant to the city manager" from 1977 to 1980, not a manager himself, and had no authority over other employees. "The assistant is more like an intern," she told TIME.

There also is doubt about his claimed service as a director of a nursing home.

Update: More from Stephen Jones here.

Brown was pleasant enough, if a bit opportunistic, Jones said, but he did not put enough time and energy into his job. "He would have been better suited to be a small city or county lawyer," he said. Jones was surprised Brown was being considered for job at FEMA but figured it wasn't impossible he could have risen high enough in local and state government to be considered for a job directing FEMA operations in Oklahoma.

The agents quickly corrected him. This was a national post in Washington, deputy director of FEMA, the arm of the federal government that prepares for and responds to disasters around the United States. Jones looked at the agents, "You're surely kidding?"

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    Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding | 25 comments (25 topical)
    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#1)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    As Mark Schmitt points out at TPM Cafe even if everything on his resume is correct he still should not have been hired. He speculates even further, that his 'resume padding' may have been leaked so that Bush comes out looking less a fool, just duped by the clever Brown. Kind of a McGuffin. link

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#2)
    by The Heretik on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    With Kerik, at least we found out about all his dubious achievements before he could take the position Chertoff holds for now. And you know Kerik is done because they did his thinly veiled story on "Law and Order." How many more unqualified Bush appointments like Brown will only become apparent after some new fiasco? We are witness again to full force of farce.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    It's normal for directors of such agencies to be "unqualified" for the position--at least if we take the head of DHS as an example. Both are lawyers, but have no real leadership experience. Brown's firing is simply the administration's way of saying, "We're doing something, and there's nothing wrong with DHS."

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#4)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    FEMA is filled with people whose main qualification is they were political cronies. No experience in emergency management necessary. Talkingpoints Memo also mentions something interesting. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, wasn't there a background check on Brown? How come they didn't catch this? If they missed this, then what other things are they missing?

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    Are we sure he didn't previously work in the insurance industry -- the insurors who are already saying they aren't paying because it was a flood not a hurricane --after all didn't Chertoff say it was two events what a bunch of losers

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#6)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    Squeaky writes:
    As Mark Schmitt points out at TPM Cafe even if everything on his resume is correct he still should not have been hired.
    If I remember correctly, wasn't Brown confirmed by a Demo controlled Senate by a unanimous vote? Where was Hilary when we needed her? ;-) Now, if he had any adopted children the NYT would have investigated him and this undoubtedly would have come to light. John H – People hiring people they know? Gosh, when did that practice start? Et al – Resume padding? Well, there goes at least 80% of all the managers and all the politicians in the world. Now, if Brown has run off the road and drowned someone, he’s a cinch for the Senate.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#7)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    “wasn't there a background check on Brown? How come they didn't catch this?”
    Anyone know how you ‘apply’ for one of these positions? I assume everyone involved at the very least gets a copy of a CV or bio. So, was the CV padded in the same fashion? A background check couldn’t scrutinize the FEMA bio; it wasn’t posted until he received the job. And I still think it is silly to put any stock in the accuracy of information at findlaw. However, this Whitehouse press release has the same incorrect information as Mr. Brown’s online bio at FEMA. This certainly suggests the information he provided the Whitehouse contained the inaccurate information listed in his FEMA bio.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#8)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    PPJ, So what you are saying is that we were let down by Democratic Senators who confirmed an incompetent political hack but not by the President who appointed an incompetent political hack. pig, Good point. The article uses "biography" and "resume" interchangeably. A "biography" could have been a puff piece written after he got confirmed and wouldn't have been looked at in a background check. The question is what information did he provide during his confirmation.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#9)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:35 PM EST
    I thought these comments from Rod Dreher in the conservative National Review was interesting (scroll down about halfway down the page)
    How is it possible that four years after 9/11, the president treats a federal agency vital to homeland security as a patronage prize? The main reason I've been a Bush supporter all along is I trusted him (note past tense) on national security -- which, in the age of mass terrorism, means homeland security too. Call me naive, but it's a real blow to learn that political hacks have been running FEMA, of all agencies of the federal government!
    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    Jim, Screw the senate. All he has to do now is snort some blow, shirk national service, and become a drunk, and he'll be a cinch for the presidency.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    c-law Don't forget the part about running several businesses into the ground so they have to be bailed out by Daddy's friends, and making one of the stupidist trades in the history of baseball.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#12)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    John H - Nope, just pointing out that those Demos complaining should be saying: "I shouldn't have done that." I mean if they really are for truth, justice and the American way... c-law - And if he has drowned a girl in a driving accident in which he let the scene and which many say he was drunk, he's a cinch for the Senate. He'd also need to be accused of rape and sexual assualt to be President... And like blue dresses....

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    PPJ-Rove: "My son, you are learning but still have a long way to go". Redirecting the focus on Leiberman is like pointing to a chip on a Ming vase while the real point is that it is a fake, and has a hole in its bottom. That being said, I will nibble at your McGuffin..Lieberman is an a**, sellout, whore, and republican shill. Brown, on the other hand got the job only because he is a Bush/Cheney stooge whose nose is firmly placed up their butts. If there is anything to be learned here it is to filibuster Roberts and any other royalists the Chimp King tries to destroy America with. Lesson learned PPJ aka TL's Affluent Minister of Propaganda (literal german translation ), even if all you were trying to do hijack the post.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#14)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    PPJ, Here is what I am confused about. Brown is being demoted and/or forced out by Bush. Now you have been pretty consistent in blaming the problems with the response to Katrina on local government rather than FEMA. Now if Brown did nothing wrong, how come he is being moved out? Also, you see no problems with political hacks running FEMA instead of people with actual emergency management experience. All I can say is consider the consequences of having incompentent people in charge during a disaster (also see Rod Dreher's comments above). Do I need to provide any examples?

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#15)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    John Horse, Wait for it........ It's the media's fault.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#16)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:36 PM EST
    Brown is being demoted and/or forced out by Bush.
    As I understood it, Certoff made the call to boot Brownie and Bush only gave it his "DUH OK." Georgie, you know, is incapable of any decision making; especially good ones.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    Squeaky, baby doll. Be careful what you nibble at... I didn't say a single word about Liberman. Was he the only Demo in the Senate that was controlled by the Demos and unaminously confirmed Brown?

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    St. Pete Times:
    Since it was created more than two decades ago by President Jimmy Carter, FEMA has usually been led by a political appointee and not a career emergency manager.
    Translation: UNDER REAGAN AND GHW BUSH, FEMA WAS RUN BY A POLITICAL APPOINTEE.
    That changed when President Bill Clinton revamped the agency and hired James Lee Witt, the former Arkansas emergency service chief. But when Clinton left, so did Witt, and Bush replaced him with Allbaugh.
    Back to REPUBLICAN business as usual. Clinton turned FEMA into a REAL disaster agency, but 9i1 Bush is MUCH too busy talking up his spin, he forgets that HE IS A DESTROYER, not a builder. Put down that hammer, George. He never did an honest day's work in his life, and that's why he hires people as WORTHLESS as himself. Five week vacations AND no responsibilities! It's the Life of O'Reilly.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    Posted by Jim: "I didn't say a single word about Liberman. Was he the only Demo in the Senate that was controlled by the Demos and unaminously confirmed Brown?" You didn't say anything yet about WHY THE FBI VETTING REPORT WASN'T GIVEN TO LIEBERMAN. 'Oh, by the way, Senator. This nominee lied several times on his resume, and has had ZERO administrative experience.' Lieberman is almost a Bush rubberstamp anyhow, but do you REALLY think he would have voted for a political crony with NO CREDENTIALS? The FBI must have known; Bush must have known... But as usual, Jim has to find someone ELSE to blame. Because protecting the Leader is paramount. He's just so cute, as he kills tens of thousands of innocent people.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#20)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:39 PM EST
    PPJ, Still haven't answered the question. If Brown and FEMA did nothing wrong, how come he is being forced out?

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#21)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:39 PM EST
    John H - First, I don't know that he is being forced out. Haven't seen anything that confirms that. If he is, it is obviously politics, which is okay, that happens. I have no love for Brown, or Chertoff, or Bush. I just hate to see the Left use a natural disaster that was made worse by inept handling by the Mayor and the Governor to attack the Feds with no mention of the former. To me it proves that the Left's anti-war stance is also hypocritical. The Left doesn't hate war; they hate Bush because he beat Gore, and then Kerry, and brought, to a degree, the conservative agenda to the national stage. Said agenda, BTW, I don’t agree with in particular. But, neither do I agree with the Left. PIL copies a statement:
    (Blanco) … hired James Lee Witt, the former Arkansas emergency service chief.
    Don’t we have a thread up that condemns Bush for hiring friends? This is funny. Hey PIL! Clinton was from ARKANSAS. He hired a FRIEND. Blanco is from LA. She hired a FRIEND. As for Brown’s confirmation, it wasn’t Lieberman. He was unanimously confirmed by a Senate in which the Democrats had the majority. So if the Demos want to complain, they should at least acknowledge their complicity in the matter. Don’t ya know?


    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:39 PM EST
    Hey PIL! Clinton was from ARKANSAS. He hired a FRIEND. Blanco is from LA. She hired a FRIEND.
    The difference Jim, is Blanco hired a friend that actually had experience in disaster relief. Unlike the president to whose backside your lips are so clearly affixed. Southern boy really needs to work on his aim. That foot of yours can't take much more. Of well, have a nice day trolling. I'm going to curl up with friends, family, and NFL opening day.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#23)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:39 PM EST
    How typical, the post is about how mike brown lied on his resume and next some folks are blaming clinton. bush hired a former campaign fixer, allbaugh, and allbaugh hired his former college roommate brown. brown had been a lawyer active in Republican politics, and zero experience in managing disaster relief coordination. clinton, seeing the horrible response that fema had under bush1, hired a man he knew had the experience to deal with disaster coordination, and it proved to be true.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#24)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:40 PM EST
    PPJ, Brown was forced out. Read the NYT article "FEMA Chief was Recalled After High-Level Meeting." (TL has link to this article) Most people see Brown's reassignment as tantamount to an admission that the Bush administration had made a mistake. As the President and sole remaining member of the Mike Brown Fan Club, perhaps you could provide an explanation of why someone who is doing such a good job gets reassigned. In times such as these, we could use a good laugh.

    Re: Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:40 PM EST
    Brown has been reassigned. Too bad our soldiers can't get reassigned, eh? Or that Bush can't get reassigned to Folsom Prison, where he can pull the train to his heart's content. OK, OK. He doesn't have a heart. The bigger the empty grin, the emptier the chest.

    Mike Brown's Alleged Resume Padding | 25 comments (25 topical)