THE AUDACITY: FEMA head slammed for calling criticism to agency’s Helene response ‘dangerous’

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From Fox News: The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) argued Sunday that criticizing the agency’s response to Hurricane Helene is “dangerous.”

In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Deanne Criswell addressed public outcry over the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene, warning that the “false” narratives spread online about the agency’s handling of the hurricane could hinder FEMA’s recovery efforts.

“It has a tremendous impact on the comfort level of our own employees to be able to go out there, but it’s also demoralizing to all of the first responders… FEMA staff, volunteers,” she told host George Stephanopoulos. “I need to make sure I can get the resources to where they are needed, and when you have this dangerous rhetoric like you’re hearing, it creates fear in our own employees.”

Stephanopoulos started out by declaring, “Let’s talk about some of the misinformation that is out there, including the claims from former President Trump that FEMA is about a billion dollars short because money has been going to undocumented immigrants. Also that the Republican areas of the state are being intentional ignored in some fashion.”

“It’s frankly ridiculous and just plain false … It’s really a shame that we’re putting politics ahead of helping people,” retorted Criswell, as she lamented the “dangerous rhetoric” that is creating “fear.”

FACT CHECK #1: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters last week, “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”

FACT CHECK #2: FEMA has multiple programs established where they allot hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to provide services for illegal aliens arriving in the U.S.

WATCH:

Stephanopoulos gave Criswell another opening, saying, “So much is going viral online… what kind of impact has this had on the recovering efforts?”

Criswell lamented that the “false rhetoric” is “demoralizing.”

WATCH:

Criswell is being lambasted over her comments.

The Charlotte Observer also accused former President Donald Trump of “worsening NC’s Helene tragedy with political lies.”

One social media user fired back with a video and wrote, “Trump wasn’t lying you idiots. Even local law enforcement is saying FEMA is hindering aid from reaching devastated areas. I’ll believe the people over the government ANYDAY.”

WATCH:

FEMA whistleblowers have also come forward, alleging that the agency misappropriated funds in the wake of Helene, withheld pre-disaster aid, and that first responders and service members have been waiting in hotels without deployment orders.

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