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FEMA, Louisiana official in war of words

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A local Louisiana official is demanding an apology for a federal relief agency's claims he insisted his own company be hired to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.

Kevin Davis, president of St. Tammany Parish, located north of New Orleans, reacted angrily to claims made to CNN Sunday night by an official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who said Davis was responsible for slowing relief efforts.

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FEMA had told CNN that the agency expected to have more than 1,000 housing units up and running in the area shortly, but that Davis himself had caused delays because he recommended to the agency that his construction company be hired to develop a property to which he has personal ties.

In a statement, Davis said he was waiting for a full apology, CNN said.

"I do not own a construction company. I did not attempt to lease land to FEMA," Davis said. "The only land I own is the lot my flooded home sits on. This is absurd."

Davis had high praise for the FEMA people he met with locally, but slammed the bureaucracy for delays in getting housing, food and water to his parish.

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