Congress Watch: Katrina House panel to skewer the media
Republican Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, who is currently heading a House select committee investigating the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, plans to take on the media as well as the feds in his upcoming report, due to come out on February 15. Davis tells U.S. News that his final report will place some blame on reporters for whipping up a frenzy and reporting false information during the hectic days after the storm.
"Hardly anyone," Davis says, "is immune from blame."
His report, according to an aide, will reconstruct the hectic days immediately before, during, and after the storm, taking on a form similar to the report issued by the 9/11 commission.
It will most likely list about 90 key findings but make no recommendations for going forward. Five Democrats who participated in the panel — despite Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's call for Democrats to boycott the committee — will also sign on to the final report, although individual Democrats will provide addenda with additional conclusions.