Just Who Was At That Fake FEMA Briefing?

CBS News Obtains A Photo Of The "Press" Gallery Full Of FEMA Staffers

(CBS/AP)  CBS News has obtained this photo of the now infamous fake FEMA press conference held during the California wildfires. The photo, taken by a FEMA employee, is one of the only known photos of the press gallery of that event.

The gallery is not filled with members of the press but with high-level agency employees.

At the podium on the left is Vice Admiral Harvey Johnson, the second in command at FEMA.

The former director of public affairs at the agency, John "Pat" Philbin told CBS News last week, "I am not aware that he knew what was happening and all of sudden staff were asking questions."

Identified in the photo are staff members that Johnson works closely with on a daily basis.

From left to right: Nathaniel Fogg, Counselor to the Director and Deputy Director; John "Pat" Philbin, former Director of External Affairs; Michael Widomski, Public Affairs Specialist; Eric Heighberger, Special Assistant, Office of the Administrator; Cindy Taylor (in tan suit), Communications Deputy Director; Dan Shulman (red tie), Director of Legislative Affairs; Debbie Wing (curly blond hair), Media Response Liaison; Aaron Walker (back to camera), National Spokesman.

Primary Source Blog: Heads Roll At FEMA | "I Should Have Cancelled"

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It was announced Thursday that an internal investigation had found that FEMA's press secretary encouraged, and in some cases instructed, employees to pose as reporters and ask questions at the fake news conference.

At the same time, the investigation, which was conducted by Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke, concluded that officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, did not set out to deceive the public. Knocke blamed bad decision-making and a rush to get out information about wildfires that were raging in southern California.

"Much like in an airline crash or automobile accident that was reconstructed, there were several different points leading up to the press conference where, had a single decision been made differently, the event itself could have been averted," Knocke said Thursday.

Aaron Walker, the FEMA press secretary, has since accepted a job with a public relations firm in Utah. He said Thursday that FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison did not ask him to leave as a result of the incident or the investigation's findings.

On Oct. 23, reporters were given 15 minutes' notice for what turned into a staged question-and-answer briefing with FEMA's deputy administrator about the California fires. No genuine journalists attended, although they were given a conference call number they could use to listen in but not ask questions. A half-dozen questions were asked at the event by FEMA staff members posing as reporters.

Since the briefing Philbin - who, at the time of the news conference, already had accepted a job at the office of the director of national intelligence - lost his new post before he even started because of the incident.

The incident has been condemned by the White House and by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Paulison called it "an egregious decision."

A FEMA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the investigation found that during the news conference Walker advised the staff that the briefing continued to be televised and that they should continue to ask questions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about personnel matters.

Walker, in an interview Thursday, said he had asked his boss to push back the time of the news conference, which had been hastily set for 1 p.m. Walker said he sent a 12:17 p.m. e-mail to Philbin and Homeland Security's assistant secretary for public affairs, Ed Fox, and asked for more time, but the e-mail went unanswered.

The agency's deputy administrator, Harvey Johnson, called on FEMA employees by name during the news conference and knew they weren't reporters.

The Homeland Security Department, of which FEMA is a part, directed FEMA officials to hold a news conference that day before Chertoff and Paulison landed in California, but did not designate a specific time, the FEMA official said.

Since the incident, the department suffered another public relations embarrassment when it was discovered that the assistant secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement judged a Halloween costume contest and awarded "most original" to an employee dressed in dreadlocks, dark makeup and prison stripes. That employee has been placed on leave.

[terrapin78]

"The incident has been condemned by the White House and by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff."

No doubt because they let the cat out of the bag and it was found out by the press!

[tejasdemo]

Now that is wild ! And Republicans wonder why nobody likes them ? Lol.

[mustbright]

fake information in 2007. fake information on iraq in 2001 through 2007. once a liar, always a liar. only the iraq lie has cost 3900 american soldiers'' lives and 60,000 american casualties. have a nice day bush lovers because you''re as responsible for the american deaths as much as bush.

[twylacrat]

Keep up the good job, FEMA! If you''re gonna keep shooting yourself in the foot like this, don''t wonder why you''re criticized and not trusted. Shouldn''t you be out handing out water or something. EITHER LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET THE HE11 OUT OF THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[raskal_2]

...government must fear the people they govern, not the people fear the "government" In as much as the elected officials would like us to not question, FEMA and the other government departments believe that authority is the final say of what truth is.(overheard in a local government setting, " It doesn''t matter the truth is what we say it is." also dealing with recent california fires.)

[andor3]

from the article "... there were several different points leading up to the press conference where, had a single decision been made differently, the event itself could have been averted"

hmmm so there were many people who created or went along with this plan. So it wasn''t raising any alarms--business as usual.

So we have to ask the question: they got caught on this fabrication, but how many other fabrications and misinformation sessions have not been exposed?

[antoniof123]

Oh my God, this is what the administration is appointing to protect us.

This would be funny if it wasn''t real maybe in about 100 years someone will look back and be able to laugh at this administration.

Wait they already are laughing at this administration. What is it with Republicans why do they want the dumbest people in office.

[missingamerica]

Isn''t it great to know that a Federal agency has such a deep bench when it comes to finding people
who are willing to deceive America?

Thanks, CBS.

I think.

[antoniof123]

Now that is wild ! And Republicans wonder why nobody likes them ? Lol.

Posted by tejasdemo at 03:00 PM : Nov 09, 2007

I started laughing when I read your comment and just had to say it was great.

[missingamerica]

Wait a minute...they had a Homeland Security Department spokesman investigate FEMA''s press secretary?

Isn''t that the same job, basically?

More to the point, when you''re talking about this Administration isn''t that a lot like having Frank Costello investigate Lucky Luciano?

[tylenol6]

******** U.S. NEWS IS CENSORING**********

U.S. REP. DENNIS KUCINICH HAS MOVED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR TO INITIATE IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDING AGAINST V.P.
*** CHENEY. PRINCESS NANCY PELOSI WAS NOT TOO HAPPY
WHEN THE SUBJECT CAME UP. WAY TO GO KUCINICH.......

[pandamonium6]

FEMA...Federal Employees Missing in Action

[jetranger7]

Now these are the people who we are supposed to Trust and believe in, in the event of an Emergency ?? This is just Typical of Office workers who play Office Games and think they''re so smart, can anybody out here just Imagine if you''d applied for the job, what the chances are of you being hired to work here, most likely Zilch, because they''d say you have no-experience, doesn''t look like any these Chair-Sitters who sit in the perky offices have much Experience either to be in the positions they''re in either, What we Have here, is a Failure to Communicate, the Warden said, A Failure to Communicate ! Yip, I agree, what we have here are Office Chair Warmers who only know how to play Corporate Office Games, and thats not what the people of this Country need !!!!!!!!

[antoniof123]

And the Republicans would like for us to trust them.

[jennasmith2]

where''s the Kucinich story? Isn''t impeachment of a VP news worthy? GO DENNIS!!!!!

[newz4i]

Let''s see...uh. Phony FEMA.

[scottyusa]

Every time I look into my "junk drawer" I think of FEMA. In my cyberspace world they sit in my "trash folder". I came really close to emptying the trash folder over Katrina and I did it over this. Now its time to clean up the junk drawer:-)I am sure it would be the janitor''s fault if they could put the blame that low. Don''t laugh look at what happened at "a boo and grab me" prison in Iraq. Who paid for that? The people that made the rules and gave the orders or the people that carried out the orders based on those rules? We punished the grunts and that was wrong. There needs to be more repercussion for this than just some bad puplicity.

[roger_inkart]

Lies, lies, deception, more lies, frauds, spin, deception, still more lies, tricks, outright lies, bald-faced lies, phony pressers, yet more more lies...

All brought to you from the administration that was supposed to bring accountability back to the White House.

If you voted for Bush, even once, how much of a total a$$ do you feel like?

[starleo146]

Did you know Fema sent a letter to Fema employees to stay out of those trailers because of toxic fumes. Guess where these trailers are with people living in these toxic trailers, Yep, Louisiana still. This Republican governor of Mississippi Haley Barber was just elected because of the good job he did during Katrina, Guess who helped this republican Governor Yep Fema.I am so sick of all this, How about you??????

[denn034]

Get over it already. This is mild compared to what Clinton. Sheesh!

[cyberus-2009]

Said before but bears repeating.

This shouldn''t be a surprise to anyone, coming from a administration that holds new conferences on military bases and gives soldiers questions to ask FEMA just "followed their leader"

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II is slightly upset that things are being leaked about the "news conferance" given by FEMA during the wildfires in California. He is also upset that it has been learned that FEMA has instructed its employees not to enter FEMA trailers given to Katrina victims as they are too toxic for human habitation, even though people are living in these death traps today.

The evil Democrats love all this, of course, because it not only shows the masses of the USSA how inept the Emperor really is (as if most of us didn''t know that by now!), but it also shows the lengths he and the Fascist neocon Republicans will go to to make us all "feel better" when faced with potential disaster.

Concerned about all the leaking "plumbing" in his court, the Emperor is seriously thinking of hiring the very same "plumbing" outfit used by Richard Nixon when he was faced with "leaks" of all shapes and sizes in his administration. The Emperor has many secrets which he does not want anyone to know, so it is important that any "leaks" be addressed immediately, otherwise the legacy facing the Emperor will be that the name of Bush will go down in history alongside the names of Hitler and Stalin (some feel that it already belongs there).

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[downtowner97]

LOL There''s nothing that this administration can do that can''t be explained by saying "Clinton was worse". Since when has that been an excuse for anything?

Bush says history will judge him. I just can''t wait to see the the encyclopedia entry on Bush in 20 years. "George Walker Bush. President from 2000 to 2008. Not as bad as Clinton".

[downtowner97]

Reagan said the ten most terrifying words in the English language are "I''m from the federal government, and I''m here to help." He really hit the nail on the head.

[lastdance4]

Bought and Paid for by : The American Taxpayer

Criminal Corporate (Nazi) America
Can commit any crime they want to...

Lastdance

[forthepeopl1]

With the full support of Senators Clinton, Obama and McCain, President Bush recently signed into Law the John Warner Defense Authorization Act, which, according to Senator Leahy (VT), will actually "encourage the President to declare Martial Law." It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of Laws that limits the President''''s ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic Law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush has now undone those prohibitions. Public Law 109-364, or the John Warner Defense Authorization Act (H.R.5122) (2), which was signed by the President in a private ceremony, allows the President to declare a "public emergency," suspend Congress and station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of your Governor or local authorities, in order to "suppress public disorder." President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act. In a sense, the two Laws compliment one another. One allows for torture and detention abroad of those who dissent and are stripped of their citizenship, while the other seeks to enforce acquiescence at home, preparing to order the military onto the streets of America. STOP THIS MADNESS! Vote for Ron Paul.

[termtex01]

walt1944, or are you MCVET(cong) in disguise?
Shut up with the Nazi comments. You have no true knowledge of issues, so youy resort to name-clalling, the last-ditch effort of a confirmed loser in an argument.

As for not having reporters at a press conference, it sounds like d4mned good idea to me. I''ve learned most reporters can''t be trusted to report on just the news without loading up their or their bosses'' ideology.

[kansas1946]

LOL. You know, life is really just a comedy show. Look at all of those folks in the picture trying to looks so serious. LMAO

[b-easy63]

As for not having reporters at a press conference, it sounds like d4mned good idea to me. I''''ve learned most reporters can''''t be trusted to report on just the news without loading up their or their bosses'''' ideology.
Posted by TermTex01 at 05:55 PM : Nov 09, 2007

Then don''t call it a press conference, call it what it is-propaganda. Because news managed by the government to influence public opinion is propaganda. Incidentally, it is illegal for the American government to engage in propaganda to Americans on American soil.

If we don''t have an outside source to tell us what is maybe going on (biased or not) we know we can''t trust what the inside source says. Remember Bush telling us he could not wiretap without a warrant in 2004, when he knew all along he had been doing it in 2002?

Then remember him arguing that ignoring FISA was legal? Only to later ask Congress for immunity for the crime of breaking the FISA law? TOTALLY untrustworthy.

[myidoncbs]

Someone wonders, "If you voted for Bush, even once, how much of a total a$$ do you feel like?"

Unfortunately, they still feel they are correct. I know, you''re thinking, "how is that possible?" The sad truth is that they, like their beloved leader, are completely, totally, irreversably, utterly delusional. For Bushcons, up is down, death is liberation, slavery is freedom, etc. Don''t expect them to ever give up their dream, even though it is in fact a terrible nightmare.

[b-easy63]

where''''s the Kucinich story? Isn''''t impeachment of a VP news worthy? GO DENNIS!!!!!
Posted by jennasmith2 at 04:43 PM : Nov 09, 2007

Nancy Pelosi buried it in committee. She did it because the Republicans started voting FOR the hearing and it was slated to go for a vote--so instead she tabled it stating that impeachment is not on the table--this means she does not plan to impeach anyone, the dems were outsmarted here. They thought they could put it to vote and then show the Rep struggling to bury it, but midway in the voting, the Republicans sent out the word to call their bluff and then it was the Democrats scrambling. Democrats are afraid to impeach. Afraid of what might come out and afraid of a backlash by Republicans, Moderates and Independents--like what happened to the Reps in the 1990s.

[searingtruth]

"The Republican and Democratic parties have delivered us into the hands of darkness."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[termtex01]

"Then don''''t call it a press conference, call it what it is-propaganda. Because news managed by the government to influence public opinion is propaganda.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted by b-easy63 at 06:06 PM : Nov 09, 2007"

What do you call it when a news organization does the exact same thing? Reporting ''their'' version of a story, rather than the truth?

You call it the nightly news on your big-3 networks.

[b-easy63]

What do you call it when a news organization does the exact same thing? Reporting ''''their'''' version of a story, rather than the truth?

You call it the nightly news on your big-3 networks.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by TermTex01 at 07:12 PM : Nov 09, 2007


We call it biased news or hype. it is only propaganda when a government puts it out or manages a station that puts it out--even if the media puts out tripe, they are on the outside and the only stake they have is in the news itself. When government spins the news, it is because they are on the INSIDE and the only stake they have is lying and/or controlling what we learn and know. The standards are different, because the onus and agenda are different.

[searingtruth]

"Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. In this way every prediction made by the Party could be shown by documentary evidence to have been correct; nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record. All history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary."
George Orwell, 1984

"And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed%u2014if all records told the same tale%u2014then the lie passed into history and became truth. ''Who controls the past'' ran the Party slogan, ''controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.''"
George Orwell, 1984

"I at once understood everything and nothing at all. A victory, accompanied by defeat. A war, with no prisoners. A threat, with no substance. A fear, with no end. A sorrow, with no comfort. And a land, with no freedom."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[jetranger7]

Everybody should go have a look at this Web Site - WWW.INFOWARS.COM // WWW.INFOWARS.COM // WWW.INFOWARS.COM

[mcvet]

What do you call it when a news organization does the exact same thing? Reporting ''''their'''' version of a story, rather than the truth?

You call it the nightly news on your big-3 networks.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by TermTex01 at 07:12 PM : Nov 09, 2007
+ report abuse

Who would you fascist like to decide what We the People see and hear in our news? Right now I decide if I want to watch ANY news on the TV or get my news where I choose. YOU want to end that and I''d like to know who you Nazi''s favor to decide what we hear and see. Would you like some one in Darth''s Office to decide? Maybe Sir Lies-A-Lot himself? Now it''s a long established FACT that you fascist have never liked the Free Press since the days of Joe McCarthy, you do remember THAT Fascist don''t you?... Since the day''s McCarthy put reporters who didn''t report the news HE wanted on a black list, it''s been one attack after another by you in the Reich. So Who''s in going to be Swastika Breath????

[rushlimpdrug]

Ok, I think I was there but I''m not in the picture.
Can they photoshop me into the picture?

What do you call it when a news organization does the exact same thing? Reporting ''''''''their'''''''' version of a story, rather than the truth?
Posted by TermTex01 at 07:12 PM

You call it Fox.

[tngreen]

Do these clowns have any idea how lame their explanations sound? To compare this to an automobile accident? This isn''t something that "happened," it''s something that the agency went to a lot of trouble to arrange and stage. As if they could have called a press conference about this huge disaster and no real members of the press would have shown up? Well, none who would have lobbed them softball questions. The American public has gotten so used to corruption, incompetence, failure, and general uselessness from our public officials that they have become utterly shameless.

[formrusmcsgt]

"Knocke blamed bad decision-making and a rush to get out information about wildfires that were raging in southern California."

..."reporters were given 15 minutes'' notice"...

How many "real" reporters did they expect to attend on 15 minutes notice?

Makes you wonder how these people ever got the job in the first place.....

[brianbwb-2009]

The American public has gotten so used to corruption, incompetence, failure, and general uselessness from our public officials that they have become utterly shameless.
Posted by tngreen

It is tempting to think so, but I also think that Americans are angry, but lack a rallying figure to stand up and make the call. Not like Kucinich, who did it inside the "machine", basically unseen by the public, but with a high profile media campaign preceding it, ala the illegal invasions, where the violations of law are clearly laid out, and both pro and con respond to the points.

Whoever anchors the media blitz can then become a central figure, the one to "push the button" so to speak, calling for demonstrations and such, until the political pressure becomes too great for the politicians to bear.

We will have to wake the giant of civil disobedience, as we did in the 60s, because we are, like then, bringing down a criminal president, and it will take a similar amount of pressure for it to happen again.

[frankly6]

What do you expect from a bunch of Bu$h cronies?

[zootallures2]

May as well. It''s not much different than the network news. Must be the main stream media is afraid of losing their government contracts?

[sgtrds]

Phony press conference. Phony administration. Same sick joke being played on America and the world.

[alphaa10-2009]

Bush and his appointees have told so many lies, they start to seem like reality. The FEMA mock press conference, ironically, was an effort to wipe mud from the face of the agency after Katrina.

The lies just keep coming-- at the FDA, a corrupt, former "watchdog" agency filled with Bush appointees who regularly shill for the pharmaceutical industry. An out-to-lunch EPA which actually increased the mercury permissible in our skies.

A border patrol which doesn''t patrol our border, a transportation safety agency which doesn''t secure our airports...

Bush led by example-- asleep at the switdh at 901, a bogus case for invading Iraq, a bogus link between 911 and Iraq, lies about national security in order to spy illegally on US citizens.

The Bush regime digs its hole in history ever deeper. The GOP ought to be ashamed, except it hasn''t any higher aspirations, itself.

[feelfree1]

Simplemind2,

"al Qaeda in America"/American Taliban/BlackWater USA contract workers/FEMA employees/staff/reporters - they all look-alike!

Nice!

###

Re: "The gallery is not filled with members of the press but with high-level agency employees."

Doesn''t this describe a high-level government criminal conspiracy to defraud the American public?

[feelfree1]

Maybe our fake President could have lent some credibility to this fake briefing...

[jetranger7]

WANNA READ MORE CORRUPTION AND ABOUT THE COMING PLANNED ECONOMIC COLLAPSE, GO TO : WWW.INFOWARS.COM

[slim1h2o]

Doesn''''t this describe a high-level government criminal conspiracy to defraud the American public?

Posted by FeelFree1 at 12:57 AM : Nov 10, 2007

So true,,,But I thought the fake news conference was originally held outside?? Now they''re showing it as being held inside. Am I missing something? Or am I remembering it wrong?

[glossypan]

Boy. uou insomniacs are a feisty bunch!

You would have thought that after seven years, the American public would be reconciled to the fact that our federal government was acting without input from the American citizenry.
Maybe a new wind is blowing, one that will transport the ship of state back to the Land Of Constitutional Democracy. I do not like living in a kingdom.