Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is demanding that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell resign over the federal agency's response to Hurricane Helene and said the House Oversight Committee will grill her for answers.
"FEMA Director Deanne Chiswell will be coming before the Oversight Committee and will receive the full Kimberly Cheatle treatment. Probably worse," the Georgia Republican posted on X. Cheatle resigned in July as director of the Secret Service after a congressional hearing concerning the agency's failures in connection with the attempted assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The response to the hurricane has become politically charged, with Republicans, including Trump, blasting FEMA and the Biden administration for the response to the Category 4 storm, which caused massive destruction in several states on its path north, reports Newsweek.
Greene further claimed in her post that FEMA is "confiscating supplies, blocking help to Helene survivors, and using disaster relief funds to house illegals. Resign Deanne."
The congresswoman, in another post, shared a video with a FEMA employee expressing concerns that transgender migrants are being misgendered in faith-based shelters.
"These are the unqualified idiots using FEMA disaster relief funds to house migrants and FAILING western NC Hurricane Helene victims," Greene said.
FEMA, meanwhile, has launched a website to respond to what it called "rumors and misunderstandings" and said that "false or misleading information can harm survivors" while keeping people from getting the help they need.
Among the rumors, the agency said, are claims that FEMA lacks money to provide disaster assistance for Helene, and that FEMA is only providing $750 to disaster survivors.
That money, the agency wrote, is an "upfront flexible payment" that covers essential, urgently needed items such as food, water, and other supplies, while applications for other funds are being approved.
"As your application continues to be reviewed, you may still receive additional forms of assistance for other needs such as support for temporary housing, personal property, and home repair costs," FEMA said.
The agency also rejected rumors that it only wants cash donations and has been turning away volunteers, saying that it never accepts donations or volunteers but encourages people to work with reputable volunteer organizations or donate to them.
FEMA also rejected claims that it has been seizing donations and insisted that rumors that it is conducting vehicle stops are false, saying that if there are armed guards, they are from local law enforcement agencies.
The concerns about FEMA's funding came earlier this week when Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters that the agency can meet immediate needs but doesn't have money to meet demands as the hurricane season moves along.
Congress allocated FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund $20 billion last week in its continuing resolution to fund the government through December 20 but did not approve supplemental disaster relief funding.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday the administration is disappointed that the additional funding wasn't approved after congressional Republicans voted against it.
"If congressional Republicans were serious — if they were really, truly serious — about doing something for the communities that were impacted by Hurricane Helene, they would join us in calling for additional funding," Jean-Pierre said.