[NYTr] Philbin's New Spokeman's Job at FEMA on Hold after Fake Press Conference

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

See the prior article:

"FEMA's fake news briefing on California wildfires" 10/29/07
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20071029/070999.html

sent by Jane Franklin 

AP - Oct 29, 2007


FEMA Spokesman's New Job on Hold

By PAMELA HESS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The director of national intelligence is weighing
whether to hire the federal official who organized a fake Federal
Emergency Management Agency news conference.

John P. ``Pat'' Philbin, FEMA's external affairs director, on Monday
was supposed to take over the public information shop at the Office of
National Intelligence Director headed by Mike McConnell. But that was
put on hold so McConnell could review Philbin's record, according to
DNI spokesman Ross Feinstein.

Philbin's work has come under question after he arranged a
hastily called televised FEMA news conference last Tuesday on the
California wildfires. The session was announced on short notice and
featured questions for FEMA's deputy administrator, Vice Adm. Harvey
Johnson.

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.

Philbin was among the six questioners, according to The Washington
Post. The questions included: ``Are you happy with FEMA's response so
far?''

FEMA later apologized for the phony news briefing and said it was
reviewing its procedures for dealing with news organizations.

McConnell had offered Philbin the director of communications at the 
intelligence office prior to the FEMA event, according to Feinstein.

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