Catalyst Partners

Author Archive: Richard Cooper

A “Fein” Knock Out Over Fusion Centers – News & Notes from the Hearing

There is always a danger whenever you put something in writing - your words may come back and haunt you or be used against you. Such was the case of Bruce Fein, one of the witnesses at today’s...

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Legacy Beyond Nassau

One of the greatest rewards in life is the people you meet and the things they teach you along the way. I’ve been more than fortunate throughout my career to work with some amazing people. They have...

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An American Success Story

On Friday, March 27, 2009 an amazing tenure at DHS will conclude. Al Martinez-Fonts’ services as the Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector will end and he will return to where he came from, the private sector. ...

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Intelligence Sharing Hearing Notes & Observations

The word “intelligence” can have multiple meanings. If you were watching last week’s hearing (March 18, 2009) - “Homeland Security Intelligence: Its Relevance and Limitations,” held before the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and...

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Demonizing at its Finest & Leadership at its Worst

Several days ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke at a town hall-type meeting at St. Anthony’s Church in San Francisco, CA. In addressing the assembled crowd, which news coverage described as being filled with both legal and...

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Interoperability & Appropriations Hearing – Why Can’t You Hear Me Now?

There is a biting irony to an Appropriations Hearing on Interoperability that no one can listen to.Today, three senior DHS leaders, Dr. David Boyd of the Science & Technology Directorate; Chris Essid of the Office of Emergency Communications; and...

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The Mumbai Attacks – Heard by the Homeland

On Wednesday, March 11, 2009, the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection convened a hearing, “The Mumbai Attacks: A Wake-Up Call for America’s Private Sector.” It was a hearing that lived up to its name. Since 9/11...

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Cyber – Coming Clarity or Compounding Confusion?

When President Obama tapped Melissa Hathaway to lead the new Administration’s 60-day review of nation’s cyber architecture and to present him with a plan for dealing with the most complex and interdependent of critical infrastructures, he made a good...

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The Search is Over – It’s Fugate for FEMA

Ever since President Obama was elected and started to name individuals for his Cabinet, a number of names have been in circulation as potential nominees for FEMA Administrator. These lists have included people like . Ellis Stanley,...

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“It’s Voluntary but…”

When the 9/11 Commission issued its Final Report and recommendations in July 2004, much of the attention focused on the findings showing a need to reform the nation’s intelligence mechanisms and the assessment of our national “failure of imagination.”...

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