Film at eleven.

NEWS FLASH ~~~

Ex-FEMA chief being paid as consultant to aid Katrina probe

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ousted Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown told congressional investigators Monday that he is being paid as a consultant to help FEMA assess what went wrong in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, according to a senior official familiar with the meeting.

Brown also said he wished he had pushed more forcefully -- and earlier -- for federal troops to be brought in to restore order in New Orleans, the official told CNN.

Brown's comments were made to investigators for Rep. Tom Davis, R-Virginia. Davis leads a House select committee probing the federal, state and local response to Katrina, and Brown is scheduled to appear before the panel Tuesday in highly anticipated appearance.

Congressional aides told CNN that the decision to keep him on the federal payroll for about a month will be scrutinized at Tuesday's hearing. Brown's 2004 salary was $145,600, according to the Plum Book, a congressional reference guide to executive branch salaries. (Posted 7:51 p.m.)

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After hearing this bit of information on the evening news, I turned to the internet for confirmation that Michael Brown is indeed being paid as a FEMA consultant. It has come to mind that perhaps we don't know as much about Brownie as we think we do. I'm just thinking out loud here, but it's completely possible that Mr. Brown could have pictures of Dubya screwing a goat or some other barnyard animal stashed away in his personal safety deposit box. Can't think of any reason he'd be retained otherwise.