WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Those behind the Federal Emergency Management Agency's fake news conference showed "extraordinarily poor judgment" and will be disciplined, the head of homeland security said.
Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff calls the fake briefing "one of the dumbest things ... I've ever seen."
"I think it was one of the dumbest and most inappropriate things I've ever seen since I've been in government," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said.
FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, called a news conference in Washington last week on the agency's handling of the California wildfires.
The agency said no media representatives showed up because the conference was announced at the last minute. Instead, reporters called in on a listen-only phone line.
The agency released a video of the conference with FEMA employees asking less than hard-hitting questions.
Don't Miss
During the briefing, someone asks Deputy Director Harvey Johnson, "Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?"
"I'm very happy with FEMA's response so far," Johnson replied.
Johnson gave no indication at the time that staff members were asking the questions.
He later apologized, calling the fake briefing an "error in judgment."
"We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straightforward and transparent," Johnson said in a statement.
FEMA said the questions were based on things about which reporters had contacted the agency.
"We know we did a bad job, but we're getting back on track," FEMA press secretary Aaron Walker said.
The White House also rebuked the news conference and said it was unaware of the briefing beforehand.
"It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House," said White House press secretary Dana Perino. "We certainly don't condone it."
Meanwhile, the man who led FEMA's public relations office is set to begin work Monday as the head of public affairs for the director of national intelligence, a spokesman for the intelligence office said.
Pat Philbin, FEMA's external affairs director, received the job offer "well before" last week's briefing, according to spokesman Ross Feinstein.
advertisement
Feinstein declined to say whether the office -- led by National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell -- was reconsidering the appointment.
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said Sunday that the department had known "for weeks" Philbin was leaving. Thursday was Philbin's last day, Knocke said.
