The cream always rises

Fake FEMA press conference participant gets -- wait for it! -- a promotion.

Published October 29, 2007 12:46PM (EDT)

FEMA director of external affairs John P. "Pat" Philbin is really, really sorry that he participated in last week's fake FEMA press conference. "It was absolutely a bad decision. I regret it happened. Certainly ... I should have stopped it," Philbin tells the Washington Post. "I hope readers understand we're working very hard to establish credibility and integrity, and I would hope this does not undermine it."

Working hard?

Well, not that hard.

As the Post reports, Thursday was Philbin's last day at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said over the weekend that the fake press conference was "one of the dumbest and most inappropriate things I've seen since I've been in government," and that the people involved in it would face "appropriate discipline."

So, was Philbin fired?

Well, not exactly.

He has been appointed to serve as the new public affairs chief for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, a place where fake news isn't anything new.


By Salon Staff

MORE FROM Salon Staff


Related Topics ------------------------------------------