FEMA acts independently
Re “GOP at a loss? Karl Rove has an 11th-hour plan to win,” Oct. 29
The Times’ argument that White House political advisor Karl Rove has the ability to direct the actions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is incorrect. The article also illustrates a fundamental misunderstanding of FEMA’s role in disasters and the timeline under which it operates. In the case of the recent Buffalo snowstorm, where The Times says Rove played a pivotal role, FEMA was asked by the New York governor to issue an emergency declaration, which the agency promptly did. FEMA dispatched dozens of staff from its office in New York City to operations centers in both Buffalo and Albany on the first day of the disaster.
Like all eligible disasters, FEMA will continue to support the state of New York as authorized under the Stafford Act as it recovers from the storm.
R. DAVID PAULISON
Washington
The writer is director of
FEMA.
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