WHERE'S WHATLEY?
Michael Whatley Is failing Western North Carolina as “Recovery Czar”
In January, DC insider Michael Whatley was named the federal “recovery czar” after Hurricane Helene and put in charge of “making sure everything goes well.”
Nine months later, Western North Carolina communities are still left waiting on federal relief funds to be released and for Whatley to show up:
Whatley is failing Western North Carolina, which is still waiting for federal aid.
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The federal government is withholding hundreds of millions of dollars of relief, and only 11% of needs have been met in Western North Carolina – far less than the over 70 percent of damages covered after massive storms like Katrina, Maria, and Sandy.
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Western North Carolinians have shown “growing frustration" and “express[ed] anger” at Whatley for being “absent,” saying he “is to blame” for the delays.
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More than 100 Western North Carolinians called on Whatley to be fired from the FEMA Review Council and just hours later, he was protested at a FEMA “Listening Session” that was closed to the public.
Where’s Whatley? North Carolinians say he’s been absent from the disaster zone.
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Whatley is “rarely, if ever, be[ing] visible in Helene’s disaster zone” and doing “little to alter the fundamental trajectory of Helene recovery.”
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While spending the one year anniversary of Hurricane Helene campaigning instead of doing his job, Whatley was met with protestors who “accused him of neglecting Helene recovery” and “prioritizing his campaign over helping Western North Carolina.”
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In his “first trip to Western North Carolina” since he was put in charge of “making sure everything goes well” back in January, Whatley hid from the public in a closed-door meeting and “back[ed] away from responsibility.”
Whatley’s playing politics with FEMA aid, and fellow Republicans are sounding the alarm.
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Republicans Ted Budd and Chuck Edwards sounded the alarm over the delays in federal relief, with Budd calling it a “problem” that “should not have been allowed.”
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Unconcerned, Whatley refused to denounce Kristi Noem fast-tracking disaster relief to a Florida political donor instead of Western North Carolina.
Michael Whatley just can’t cut it – he has failed to deliver critical aid in his job as recovery czar.
WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA DESERVES BETTER.
Paid for by the North Carolina Democratic Party – Federal, www.ncdp.org,
and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Derivatives of Gage Skidmore Photos. CC BY-SA 2.0.