Last week a group of federal employees served as proxy reporters for a press conference regarding the California wildfires with the deputy chief of FEMA.
Why would FEMA want to stage a fake conference about the California wildfires? It’s not only unethical; it’s … lame. It’s like something you’d get in trouble for in elementary school (“Sorry, Mrs. Jewls, I couldn’t actually find a famous person to interview, so I made one up.”)
FEMA’s excuse: it had no time to wait for real reporters.
“We had been getting mobbed with phone calls from reporters, and this was thrown together at the last minute,” said deputy director Mike Widomski, of FEMA’s public affairs.
Time being precious, “the PR people just turned on the cameras and tossed softballs to their boss,” says USA Today.
Way to invest in the health of the public/media/government relationship.
The story‘s worth a read and includes questions and answers from the press — er, federal employee — conference. Thanks Brian for sending it over.
