White House Rebukes False Claims Amid Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts

[Social Media]

 

As Hurricane Helene leaves devastation in its wake, the White House is confronting an influx of disinformation about the storm and the federal response. In a statement released Saturday, the administration dismissed online rumors, including a bizarre theory that Helene was a government-engineered storm designed to allow corporations to mine regional lithium deposits.

 

“We have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene,” the White House said, highlighting that “scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests” are behind much of the disinformation. Claims such as emergency disaster funds being spent on housing immigrants and that aid will be capped at $750 per claim were condemned as “wrong” and “dangerous,” with the administration calling for an immediate stop to the spread of these falsehoods.

 

Marjorie Taylor Greene says 'they can control the weather';

Yes they can control the weather.

It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) October 4, 2024

 

 

The political atmosphere around Helene is tense, with President Biden urging Congress to approve additional disaster relief funding to address the extensive costs of recovery. In a letter to congressional leaders, Biden stressed the importance of refilling disaster relief coffers as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Defense continue their critical missions. The projected costs related to Hurricane Helene are estimated to reach $200 billion over the next decade.

 

Biden noted that while FEMA can meet immediate needs, additional funding will be essential for long-term recovery efforts. He expects Congress to act on a comprehensive disaster relief package after its November return, although action on specific programs might be required before then. As the devastation continues to unfold, Vice President Kamala Harris cut short her campaign trip through the western states to visit areas in western North Carolina, where whole towns were submerged by floodwaters.

 

Biden toured the destruction in North Carolina by air on Wednesday, followed by visits to Florida and Georgia on Thursday, where he witnessed the extensive cleanup efforts. He warned that recovery costs will amount to “billions of dollars” and emphasized the urgency of securing additional funding. “People need help now,” he said, pointing to the damage across the Carolinas and beyond. As of the latest reports, at least 225 people have died due to Hurricane Helene, with officials warning that the toll is expected to rise as search and recovery operations continue. In Asheville, North Carolina, authorities are still working on 75 cases of missing persons, and nearly 1 million people remain without power.

 

The financial strain from Helene has compounded existing challenges, with the Small Business Administration (SBA) facing a critical funding shortfall. Biden’s letter highlighted that the SBA’s disaster relief loan program will run out of funds within weeks unless Congress intervenes. The SBA is currently processing around 3,000 Hurricane Helene-related applications daily, and it needs an additional $1.6 billion to meet these demands.

 

Before Helene, the White House had already cautioned that low funding levels could result in the SBA halting its operations after covering weather-related incidents such as the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore and recovery efforts following Maui’s wildfires and tornado damage in the Midwest. Early estimates from Moody’s Analytics predict that Hurricane Helene could cost upwards of $34 billion, while AccuWeather has placed the figure between $225 billion and $250 billion, with very little of the damage covered by private insurance.

 

The financial and political stakes surrounding the Helene disaster are high. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated that lawmakers will assess the hurricane’s impact after the upcoming election. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has accused Democrats of misallocating over $640 million of FEMA funds to house migrants, a claim the White House labeled as “bold-faced lies.” During a speech in Georgia, Trump claimed that disaster relief money destined for states like Georgia and North Carolina had already been diverted to support immigrants.

 

“It’s been gone for people that came into the country illegally,” Trump said. FEMA swiftly responded to the accusation, clarifying that the funds Trump referred to were part of a separate program entirely unrelated to disaster relief. The agency reaffirmed that no disaster response money had been diverted and that over $45 million in aid had already been distributed to communities affected by the hurricane.

 

As disinformation swirls around the recovery efforts, the White House continues to push for swift action from Congress to address the monumental financial needs that Hurricane Helene has left in its wake.

 

Based on a report from The Guardian 2024-10-07

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

26 minutes ago, Social Media said:

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has accused Democrats of misallocating over $640 million of FEMA funds to house migrants, a claim the White House labeled as “bold-faced lies.” During a speech in Georgia, Trump claimed that disaster relief money destined for states like Georgia and North Carolina had already been diverted to support immigrants.

Should be easy to disprove- just open the books to public view.

[thaibeachlovers]

27 minutes ago, Social Media said:

The projected costs related to Hurricane Helene are estimated to reach $200 billion over the next decade.

Rather than begging for more funds that will have to be added to the enormous debt the US has, it's time to stop spending money on the Gaza/ Lebanon conflict and the Ukraine war. Use that money which will not add to the debt for Americans in need and not for killing people.

[Tug]

39 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Rather than begging for more funds that will have to be added to the enormous debt the US has, it's time to stop spending money on the Gaza/ Lebanon conflict and the Ukraine war. Use that money which will not add to the debt for Americans in need and not for killing people.

Heck yea just surrender to putin ehh?strange how you allways find a way to try to undermine my country and put a plug in for our enemies.trump is lying and trying to sow discord and division to enhance his chances in our upcoming election.no more no less he is what he is 

[jerrymahoney]

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said recently that he was impressed with the federal response, noting North Carolina’s impact was not expected to be as severe as it was.

“For anybody who thinks that any level of government, anybody here, could have been prepared precisely for what we’re dealing with here, clearly are clueless,” Tillis said. “But right now, I’m out here to say that we’re doing a good job.”

 

Bates pointed to Tillis’s remarks, as well as to comments made by other GOP officials, including South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who called the federal response “superb,” and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who said he “appreciated” Biden’s offer to “call him directly” if the governor needed further assistance. 

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4918305-speaker-johnson-calls-federal-response-to-helene-a-massive-failure

[thaibeachlovers]

32 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said recently that he was impressed with the federal response, noting North Carolina’s impact was not expected to be as severe as it was.

So they don't prepare for the worse and be happy if it's not too bad? No wonder they are in trouble if that's the level of intelligence in the people supposed to prepare the defenses in an area that expects storms.

We've been told for ages that storms are getting worse, but seems in certain circles that isn't happening, and they are unprepared when it happens.

At a minimum they should be prepared for a loss of cell communication.

[jerrymahoney]

Your critiques are helpful. Thank you.