FEMA Director Mike Brown Resigns

Embattled FEMA Director Mike Brown Resigns
By RON FOURNIER, AP
Political Writer

WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency director Mike
Brown said Monday he has resigned "in the best interest of the
agency and best interest of the president," three days after losing
his onsite command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

"The focus has got to be on FEMA, what the people are trying to do
down there," Brown told The Associated Press.

His decision was not a surprise. Brown was abruptly recalled to
Washington on Friday, a clear vote of no confidence from his
superiors at the White House and the Department of Homeland
Security. Brown had been roundly criticized for FEMA's bearish
response to the hurricane, which has caused political problem for
Bush and fellow Republicans.

"I'm turning in my resignation today," Brown said. "I think it's in
the best interest of the agency and the best interest of the
president to do that and get the media focused on the good things
that are going on, instead of me."

Brown, who said he last talked to Bush five or six days ago, said
the resignation was his idea. He spoke on Saturday to White House
chief of staff Andy Card, who did not request his departure,
according to Brown.

He said he feared he was becoming a distraction to FEMA's relief
effort.

"I came to the conclusion that this was in the best interest of not
just the administration and not just me, but FEMA," he said. "They
need to be focused on the continuing efforts in the Gulf."

Shortly after Brown was recalled to Washington last week, officials
close to the FEMA director said he would likely resign. They said
that even before Katrina, Brown had been planning on leaving the
administration late this fall to go into the private sector.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/katrina_brown

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