U.S. Congressman Rapes Louisiana’s Reputation Over U.S. Katrina Fund

Congressman Says Incompetence, Corruption Show Local Officials Cannot be Trusted with Federal Aid  


Here is Congressman Tancredo’s letter to Rep. Hastert:



WASHINGTON, DC. - Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) wrote a letter to Speaker Hastert, urging him to direct federal hurricane relief aid through channels other than Louisiana public officials. Citing incompetence and a history of corruption, Tancredo said a bipartisan select committee of the House should administer the aid and provide accountability for the $52 billion requested. The letter is reprinted below:

Dear Mr. Speaker,

           Given the abysmal failure of state and local officials in Louisiana to plan adequately for or respond to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans, and given the long history of public corruption in Louisiana, I hope the House will refrain from directly appropriating any funds from the public treasury to either the state of Louisiana or the city of New Orleans. Instead, reconstruction and relief funds dedicated to the people of New Orleans should be administered by a private organization or a select committee similar to the historic Truman Commission.

           Public corruption is a well known problem in Louisiana. The head of the FBI in New Orleans just this past year described the state´s public corruption as "epidemic, endemic, and entrenched. No branch of government is exempt." Over the last thirty years, a long list of Louisiana politicians have been convicted of crimes; the list includes a governor, an attorney general, an elections commissioner, an agriculture commissioner, three successive insurance commissioners, a congressman, a federal judge, a State Senate president, six other state legislators, and a host of appointed officials, local sheriffs, city councilmen, and parish police jurors.  Given the documented public corruption in the state, I am not confident that Louisiana officials can be trusted to administer federal relief aid.

           Clearly the federal response from FEMA in the aftermath of the hurricane was hampered by bureaucratic ineptitude. Making matters worse, the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana have demonstrated mind-boggling incompetence in their lack of planning for and response to this disaster.   According to one recent media report, "A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan...[but] did not take corrective actions. In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not corrected."
           
           The city of New York, by comparison, had no advance warning of 9/11.  Yet Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki displayed tremendous leadership in managing a chaotic situation in the city.  Their leadership inspired confidence in their ability to manage the emergency and coordinate federal aid  In contrast, despite knowing days in advance about the coming hurricane, Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin seem to have done little beyond encouraging residents to leave the city or gather at the Superdome.  City school and transit buses could have carried 12,000 persons per run out of the city, yet they sat idle in parking lots under water - while both the Mayor and Governor criticized the federal response.  

           In the coming days, tens of billions of dollars will likely flood Louisiana to address the costs of rescue, clean up, and rebuilding.  The question is not whether Congress should provide for those in need, but whether state and local officials who have been derelict in their duty should be trusted with that money.  Their record during Hurricane Katrina and the long history of public corruption in Louisiana convinces me that that they should not.

                                                           Sincerely,


                                                           Tom Tancredo, MC.

well no shit?

Quoted: well no shit?

Whoever he is he is dead on.  I hope these investigations get rid of the "Good ol' boys" who really run this state along with the Gov., Landrieu and state level Reps and Sens.  

 "I am shocked, SHOCKED."

"Your winnings bribe, sir."

"Oh, er, thank you."

Tancredo is a great rep.

Quoted: Tancredo is a great rep.

+1, I wish he were mine. That guy is 100% straight shooter.

Nail, Hammer, Head


Nuff Said!




Vulcan94

Quoted: well no shit?

... no kidding.

Oh yeah, Tancredo for President!

I wonder if the Levee Commission's private plane is still operable after the Hurricane?

Quoted: I wonder if the Levee Commission's private plane is still operable after the Hurricane?

....and could they strategically crash it to block a break in a levee?

I will have to agree with him on this one.

I sent emails to my reps and sens as well as a thank you to Tancredo.  Ask you do the same, please?

Tagged

We should not give a blank check to ....... well you know who.

Since I pay both fed and state taxes I have the right to speak my mind

Do you???????

Think we'll ever see this on CNN?  

Quoted: Quoted: Tancredo is a great rep. +1, I wish he were mine. That guy is 100% straight shooter.

He's cool.  He's the one who mentioned nuking mecca.

Quoted: Corruption? In New Orleans? Next they'll be claiming the Pope's Catholic.

sorry the pope is German.

Quoted: Quoted: Tancredo is a great rep. +1, I wish he were mine. That guy is 100% straight shooter.

+2

This guy is GREAT!

HH

man, I predict a major shit storm following this.

.

Tancredo's the best!

Well done Cong. Tancredo!!

I got a chance to talk to one of his staff a couple of weeks ago...gave him an "attaboy" to pass along to his boss.  

I asked him if I could adopt him as my congressman...I would do anything to get rid of the asshat I've got to contend with.