From the BBC:
“Misinformation swirls around
hurricane response effort”
In the week since Hurricane
Helene caused devastation in parts of the US - in the middle of the election
campaign - misinformation about the government’s response has been spreading on
social media. Many of the hurricane victims are in swing states, including
North Carolina and Georgia, and Republican Donald Trump has been highly
critical of how the Biden-Harris administration has handled the disaster. But
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has disputed a number of his
claims. As Fema prepares for Hurricane Milton, it has described misinformation
about its response as "extremely damaging" and believes this has
discouraged some survivors from seeking help. BBC Verify has been looking at
the claims made by Trump and other senior Republicans.
Has government money for
hurricane victims been spent on migrants? At multiple campaign events since
the hurricane struck, Trump and his allies have claimed that government money
earmarked for disaster victims has been spent on migrants who crossed illegally
into the US. “Kamala spent all her Fema money—billions of dollars—on
housing for illegal migrants", Trump said in Michigan last week. Trump's
claim that Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, has spent “all her Fema
money” on housing these people is false. Fema, a US government agency,
has a Disaster Relief Fund (worth more than $20bn for the last financial year)
which is ring-fenced to spend on responding to hurricanes and other natural
disasters. Fema also has a dedicated budget from Congress to be spent on
food, shelter, transportation, and other support services for immigrants
released from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody. This budget
amounts to around one billion dollars over the last two financial years - not
the “billions” Trump claims. So, these are two separate pots of money -
administered by the agency - which Trump appears to be conflating. Fema,
which has now set up a fact-checking page on its website, called Trump's claim
"false" saying, "no money is being diverted from disaster
response needs". In 2019, while Trump was President, money was
diverted from Fema's Disaster Relief Fund - around $38m - to give to
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The focus on Fema's current
funding comes after the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas -
who oversees the agency - warned that it was running low on funds for the rest
of the hurricane season. But Fema says it has “enough money right now
for immediate response and recovery needs”.
Are hurricane victims only
getting $750? Donald Trump and JD Vance have repeatedly highlighted a $750
payment from Fema to hurricane victims, often contrasting it with the money the
US government spends on Ukraine or on illegal migrants. “They promised
$750 to American citizens who have lost everything,” Vance said at a rally in
Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. It is true that the victims are
getting $750 but some context is needed. This is just one type of
assistance provided by Fema. The $750 is what people can get as an
upfront payment to help cover the costs of food, water, medication, and other
emergency supplies. Following this initial payment, disaster victims may
receive additional funds following a Fema assessment. This can go
towards repairing damage to homes and personal property, and to help find a
temporary place to stay. So far, Fema has said that more than $45m has
been given to communities affected by Hurricane Helene - this includes upfront
payments and money to support housing needs.
Did Biden call the Governor of
Georgia? When the hurricane first hit, Trump claimed that the governor of
Georgia hadn’t spoken to President Biden following the state being badly
affected. “He has been calling the president, hasn't been able to get
him,” Trump said at a news conference in Georgia on the afternoon of 30
September. But earlier that day, Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp - a
Republican - said in an interview: “The president just called me yesterday
afternoon, I missed him and called him right back, and he just said ‘hey what
do you need?’ and I told him we’ve got what we need, we’re working through the
federal process.” “He offered if there’s other things we need to call
him directly, which I appreciate,” he added.
Were any helicopters sent to
help victims? Trump said at the Butler rally that “Kamala wined and dined
in San Francisco, and all of the people in North Carolina — no helicopters, no
rescue — it’s just — what’s happened there is very bad.” This is false.
By the time Trump made this remark on 5 October, the North Carolina National
Guard, which is under the dual command of federal and state governments, had
already posted on X that its “air assets have completed 146 flight missions,
resulting in the rescue of 538 people and 150 pets”. The post, published
on 3 October, featured a video of a National Guard helicopter. The North
Carolina Department of Public Safety's website says that President Biden
approved the state governor’s request for military personnel and equipment to
support rescue operations in North Carolina. The National Guard and
military personnel “are operating 50 helicopters” as part of search and rescue
missions, and are also helping to deliver critical supplies in the state, the
Department said.
^ Anyone with basic Common Sense
can see (through actions, video clips, etc.) that 99% of what comes out of the
Orange Hair Man's Mouth is not true.
Even when caught in his own lies
with videos of him speaking he denies it and his Supporters blindly follow him
- after drinking years of his Kool-Aid.
He can't act as though he cares
about FEMA or helping people affected by Hurricanes.
We all saw how he personally and
poorly handled Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017 or how he moved $38
Million Dollars from FEMA in 2019 and gave it to ICE (Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.)
He just likes to say and do things
that make no sense and most often harm Ordinary Americans all so he can scare
them into getting their vote and sadly they do.
I am not Anti-Republican. I voted
for my State’s Republican Governor in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 and would again
if he was running.
Before that I voted for my State’s
Democratic Governor in 2009. So, I’m not Anti-Democrat either.
I am Anti-Politicians (of any
Party) who do and say anything – even knowing what they are saying is not true –
just to get a soundbite or to scare People into a Mob Mentality.
People (Politician or Ordinary
Person) who continue to spread these fake stories are just as guilty for the
harm caused by them as the one who started them.
In times of a Natural Disaster Politicians
should be focused on helping the Victims survive and recover rather than
continuing to push their fake stories to simply scare people.”
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