United States – As US officials fail to contain disinformation regarding natural disasters that affect the country, at least three lawmakers, all Republicans, criticized conspiracy theories spread within their party.
Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards, in whose North Carolina district the intense flooding was caused by Hurricane Helene at the end of September, accused “suspicious sources that actively create panic,” of disseminating absurdities, as reported by Reuters.
Unusual Flooding in North Carolina Sparks Concern
Two-thirds of the inland western part of North Carolina was inundated, an unusual occurrence in the state which is accustomed to hurricane along its Atlantic seaboard. Florida now faces another hurricane as Hurricane Milton is set to make a landfall on its western part.
Criticism for Weather Manipulation Claims
Of that, one source is from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia representative, both her official congressional Twitter account and her personal one promoted specific COVID misinformation.
“Ask your government if the weather is manipulated or controlled. Did you ever give permission to them to do it? Are you paying for it? Of course you are,” Greene wrote in one such post on her official account on Monday.
Edwards directly called out this falsehood in his statement, without naming Greene.
“Nobody can control the weather,” he said. “Please make sure you are fact checking what you read online with a reputable source.”
Florida Republican Representative Carlos Gimenez, from the very southern end of the Sunshine State, has also dismissed conspiracy theories.
“News flash,” he said in a Wednesday post on social media, to Greene’s comment. Unfortunately, no human being can develop or determine when and where a hurricane will occur. I suppose anyone who thinks they can, should have his or her head examined”.
GOP Colleagues Speak Out Against Misinformation
Another Republican, US Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said, “This distraction needs to stop.”
“Most of these observations are made by people not even based on the ground,” he said to CNN, Sunday, as reported by Reuters.
During a briefing on Wednesday, Democratic President Joe Biden questioned the capability of Republican former President Donald Trump, who he said led an “onslaught of lies”,,Greene ‘s statement s labeled “bizarre”, and deemed her comments “ridiculous”.
“It’s got to stop,” Biden said. “In moments like this, there are no red or blue states.”