As those hit by Hurricane Helene struggle to recover and brace themselves for a possible sequel, Coastal Georgia lawmakers and officials have set aside hyperpartisanship to help constituents — even as the presidential nominees of their parties seek to frame the disaster to their advantage.
State Rep. Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) and Chatham County Commissioner Aaron “Adot” Whitely, a Democrat representing District 4, are among those local lawmakers, who have praised the efforts of rescue workers and emergency crews and fielded pleas for help from their constituents round-the-clock.
Pitching in with an aid distribution effort, 1st District U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter declared Coastal Georgia’s people its “biggest asset.” He, together with other members of Georgia’s congressional delegation, signed a letter to President Joe Biden asking the White House for a disaster declaration in the state. The declaration, which Biden approved, frees up funding to help state, and local governments cover emergency response and recovery costs.
Yet notably absent amid the hands-on efforts of these politicians, all of whom are standing for reelection, is any mention of how to fund future relief efforts, once the immediate needs of Helene’s victims are met.
Petrea and Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) so far have not recommended, for instance, that the General Assembly examine the responses to Helene by the state’s emergency services or by Georgia Power, Coastal EMC, Georgia Power, and Canoochee EMC and other utility companies.
Carter and other members of Georgia’s congressional delegation haven’t broached the future role of the federal government in disaster relief — the Coastal Georgia congressman earlier this year questioned federal funding for the reopening of Baltimore harbor after a bridge collapse.
Nor did they say how they envision the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will address adaptation, relief, and recovery efforts in future years as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storms, flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat waves.
Project 2025, a governing blueprint for a potential second Trump administration drawn up by allies and past advisers of the former president, calls for downsizing FEMA, including cuts to its public rebuilding funding, the termination of all disaster-preparation grants, and the phaseout of the federal flood insurance program. Amid a constant drumbeat of criticism of the plan from Democrats, Trump has distanced himself from the blueprint but hasn’t strayed from his promise to radically downsize the government.
‘Politicizing disaster relief’
As the extent of the destruction from Helene becomes clearer by the day, the GOP presidential nominee and his supporters are magnifying misinformation.
The reason? Never before has a natural disaster of Helene’s scale hit two swing states — in this case, Georgia and North Carolina — so close to a presidential election. Both Democrats and Republicans are fighting for every available vote.
Trump and his followers have made numerous false claims, including that billions of dollars of disaster relief aid have been siphoned off for illegal migrants; the White House shut down North Carolina’s airspace, blocking rescue and recovery flights; and that President Biden wasn’t taking calls from Gov. Brian Kemp about the disaster.
Each claim is false or not backed up with credible evidence. In the case of diverting funds, it’s Trump, not Biden, that has funneled aid from disaster relief to migrant aid.
Trump’s criticisms of the Biden administration’s handling of the disaster have renewed scrutiny of his own management of natural calamities.
A post-election autopsy from Trump’s 2020 campaign pollster, blamed his handling of the Covid pandemic as key in his loss to Biden. And when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Trump delayed $20 billion of aid and allowed Puerto Rico to be without power for 181 days.
Reflecting recently on her time in the Trump White House as Homeland Security adviser, Olivia Troye, now a Trump critic, described witnessing firsthand “how Donald Trump politicized disaster relief, leaving devastated Americans waiting for help….Today, he’s once again distorting facts” and “spreading lies,” she wrote.
Local news organizations in North Carolina covering the 600-mile path of devastation have pushed back against the misinformation.
“Helene Fact Check: Here are the Rumors and Reality in Western North Carolina,” read the headline of a story Monday in The News & Observer in Raleigh.
The joint editorial board of state’s two largest newspapers, the Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer in Raleigh took Trump to task over his false claims about the federal response to Helene.
Under the headline, “Shame on Donald Trump for worsening NC’s Helene tragedy with political lies,” the board wrote:
“This is not a situation to capitalize on for political gain. But former President Donald Trump has politicized the situation at every turn, spreading falsehoods and conspiracies that fracture the community instead of bringing it together.”
