Subscribe to RSSHurricane hijinks: Vitter hijacks FEMA chief confirmation
US Sen. David Vitter, R-LA
Craig Fugate, left, accompanied by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. Fugate is President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Photo by Phil Coale A/P
The Independent posted an article on Monday May 11 citing a NY Times piece about the latest “hijink” of our junior senator, who apparently doesn’t see the approach of the 2009 hurricane season as particularly important to his constituents in the southern part of Louisiana.
I say that because David Vitter has put a hold on the confirmation of Craig Fugate, the president’s highly experienced and widely popular choice as the next administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The title of the NY Times piece is appropriately sarcastic: ‘Doin’ a heck of a job, Vitter.’
Editor’s note: After posting this piece late on May 12 I discovered that Sen. Vitter’s office had just sent out a notice that the senator relented and released his hold on Fugate. BayouBuzz posted comments and the May 13 Times-Picayune carries a story by Bruce Alpert. This is good news for all gulf coast states but the rest of this post remains relevant. BTW – I don’t think that David Vitter is wrong on every issue and I applaud his support for rebuilding Big Charity Hospital in NOLA, rather than replacing it with a hugely expensive and neighborhood-destroying medical complex.
The Louisiana election for US Senate is scheduled for November 2, 2010 (two hurricane seasons from now) but a list of aspirants to challenge Vitter is already growing. Since Republican Vitter’s prostitution scandal in 2007, possible Democratic challengers are feeling heartened.* More surprising in our red state, several Republicans have been rumored as considering jumping in, including Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, who has been putting his toe in the water.
LA Sec'y of State Jay Dardenne
Baton Rouge native and adult porn star Stormy Daniels has also been testing the Republican waters, perhaps with a different part of her anatomy. Stormy has a built in publicity advantage and a hurricane-friendly moniker. On the other hand, as a political novice with exceptionally liberal social views she presumably has little chance to unseat Vitter in a Republican primary.
Stormy Daniels
Athough he denies it, rumors persist that Gov. Jindal may also be considering the senate race. If he did campaign he would further burnish his well-deserved reputation for leaving jobs uncompleted.
Gov. Piyush "Bobby" Jindal
If I were trapped in a coastal setting with an approaching hurricane I would feel far more secure if I knew that a stand of baldcypress trees (coastal forest) stood between me and open water. This longlived tree that once occupied vast portions of the Louisiana coast has exceptional ability to withstand and absorb the natural force of storm driven water.
This photo found on the web purports to be Hurricane Katrina approaching the (gulf?) coast, specific location unknown. Photo from AI Roofing Company, LLC Houston. I agree with a colleague who challenges its authenticity (see comment below). I went back to the source and found a date 10/4/07 for the image (Katrina struck on 8/29/05)! Jay Grymes, what say you?
Louisiana’s ever diminishing coastal forests, so important to buffer storm energy, are in dire straits, caught between saltwater encroachment from the gulf and river levees that prevent annual spring nourishment. And then of course there is the economic pressure to log.
Much of the surviving coasal forest occupies land that has subsided to the point that it never dries sufficiently to support the germination and survival of new seedlings.
If these forests are logged they will be gone forever.
My most vivid memory of David Vitter involved his vehement attack on the corps of engineers during 2005 for denying a permit to a private landowner who wanted to clearcut coastal forest that could not have regenerated. The corps acted honorably and heroically (in my view) by denying the permit.
Their authority came under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 that requires permits for projects that may result in the obstruction of navigable waterways, in this case by sedimentation. Logging these second growth trees would have involved heavy equipment on muddy logging roads and increased runoff of destabilized soil.
Anyhow, whether it’s in terms of holding up the confirmation of the president’s point person for dealing with future Katrinas, or removing minimal protection for part of what’s left of Louisiana’s natural hurricane protection, David Vitter seems not to appreciate how risky things really are in south Louisiana – and I’m not talking about reelection risks.
Len Bahr
* These include:
- Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu
- Former Congressman Don Cazayoux
- Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick
- Shaw Group CEO Jim Bernhard
- Former Governor Kathleen Blanco
- Former Congressman and 2004 Democratic Senate nominee Chris John
17 Comments
2010-04-29
21:32:25
WHAT A SHAME THAT A GREAT CITY WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO ITS KNEES
2010-04-07
10:10:32
it looks alfole too i feel really bad for all those people i cant belevie my grandma died in that
2010-04-23
15:02:31
are you serious
2010-04-07
10:07:41
that sounds alfule
2010-03-31
16:00:15
that hurricane is so big HURRICANE KATRINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!
2010-05-04
14:29:39
uhh thats not a hurricane!!! thats a tornado lol i wanted to see the comments caz tis aint a hurricane LOLZ
2010-05-05
05:56:58
its not an lol matter and it is a huricane why do u think they callled it hurricane katrina
2010-03-24
16:18:20
thats a big hurricane
2010-03-23
12:16:51
This is a Supercell Thunderstorm approaching "wherever" its going to. Classic "UFO" shape. A hurricane is so large that the entire span of sky would be covered...not just a 10-20 mile radius for which this storm appears to cover. You may find supercell thunderstorms in a hurricane, but they are deeply embedded and would be wind/rainwrapped which would not allow you to see something as awesome as this...at least visually.
2010-02-09
16:53:44
Sorry folks that August 19th 2005 Fergus, Ontario, Canada tornado. The photographer goes to my church. I saw them and posted them on line first. i guess someone's been taking liberties. They are amazing though. photographed from highway 6
2009-06-07
17:25:24
Here is the Snopes investigation into that "Katrina" photo:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/natural/storm.asp
According to Snopes, which is a pretty good site to check out rumors involving news photos, the photos were taken by stormchasers in Kansas and Nebraska. Clicking the link is worthwhile, as some of the other photos are absolutely beautiful, though they are not related to Katrina. Snopes has a whole section devoted to Katrina rumors: www.snopes.com/katrina
2009-05-20
03:47:32
I understand the need for publicity antics, as I have had to resort to them myself at times, sometimes it is the only way to get some needed attention and help. Regardless of his motivation, the outcome of Vitter's actions look as though it may have finally got the attention Grand Isle deserves.
2009-05-20
03:46:09
A persons situation and geographical location strongly shapes their attitude. Many on Grand Isle, previously not very favorable toward Vitter, were extremely appreciative of Vitter's actions. I have been sacrificing the parking area at my office to allow 2 beat-up, rusting mobile library vans, our only library access since Katrina. I daily drive by the metal shed housing our entire Fire and EMS team.
2009-05-14
17:42:53
Interesting that the "October Katrina photo" appears in an article titled "Hurricane Hijinks...."
And that "Stormy" wants to delve into Louisiana politics......
Definitely an interesting world and an even more interesting state......
This is why I really don't trust any photo published in an article anymore; too many "October Katrinas....."
2009-05-13
19:38:36
Just got a phone call from a colleague who challenged the authenticity of the photo purported to be Hurricane Katrina approaching the gulf coast. I agree; this resembles an approaching summer squall and not a hurricane and the landscape doesn't look right either. But what a dramatic sky! You just can't believe everything found on a Google search. I went back to the source and found the date 10/4/07 for the image (Katrina struck on 8/29/05). Jay Grymes, what say you?
2009-05-13
18:50:18
It sounds more like he obtained another promise rather than an actual resolution to the problem.
2009-05-13
16:47:59
Matt Rota with the Gulf Restoration Network just emailed a letter from Sen. Vitter to constituents explaining his reason for putting a hold on Craig Fugate's confirmation as adminstrator of FEMA. I'm happy to post the letter here:
Dear Friend,
This week I received a written commitment from FEMA to work toward a
reasonable resolution on the high risk flood zone issue that has
hampered our hurricane recovery in many coastal communities.
It took my blocking the approval of President Obama's nominee to be the
new FEMA administrator to finally get this response, but a one week
delay on this nomination was minimal compared to how long folks in
Louisiana have often had to wait on FEMA.
Almost four years have passed since hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and
south Louisiana communities like Cameron, Lafourche and Plaquemines
parish are still waiting on answers from FEMA regarding how rebuilding
can occur in high-risk flood zones. These answers are necessary for
fire stations and other critical infrastructure and municipal buildings
to be rebuilt so that we can provide the basic municipal services that
every community needs.
I've been pressing for these answers for months, since well before the
president even nominated a new FEMA administrator. After months of
non-response, I set up a conference call with the acting administrator
on Feb. 26, during which she said she understood the urgent nature of
the matter and expected a positive resolution very soon. But we
waited more than 70 days with no answers.
So after months of waiting, I decided to apply pressure to FEMA in a
way that I knew would get their attention - slowing down the
confirmation of their new administrator.
Last week I sent the acting Administrator a letter of good faith
stating that I would lift my hold on the nominee if FEMA would agree in
writing to my requests, and FEMA has agreed to help our coastal
communities resolve this high-risk flooding issue.
We had enough problems with FEMA during the last administration. We
don't need the same old FEMA under this new administration. I'm very
confident based on their written commitment that the V Zone issue will
be solved soon so that crucial infrastructure and facilities can be
rebuilt. And I look forward to working with the new FEMA administrator
on that and much more.
Sincerely,
<http://www.vitter.senate.gov/images/vitter_signat...
David Vitter
U.S. Senator