South
NC lawmaker accuses Mayorkas of politicizing 'tragedy for personal gain' after FEMA funding alarms
A Republican congressman from hard-hit North Carolina is accusing Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of playing politics with Hurricane Helene after the storm ravaged the Southeast and killed more than 230 people.
Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., implored his district’s residents to not believe “outrageous rumors” about the response to the storm in an open letter published Tuesday.
“[Federal Emergency Management Agency] FEMA officials have repeatedly affirmed that the agency has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs over the next few months,” Edwards wrote. “Secretary Mayorkas’ statement indicating otherwise was an irresponsible attempt to politicize a tragedy for personal gain.”
He also defended FEMA from “outrageous rumors” that disaster funds were being diverted to help illegal immigrants, and that aid was being blocked from reaching its destination.
TRUMP LAUNCHES GOFUNDME TO HELP HURRICANE HELENE VICTIMS, RAISES MORE THAN $1M
GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards, left, whose district was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, is criticizing Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ recent comments. (Getty Images)
“We have seen a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide; but amidst all of the support, we have also seen an uptick in untrustworthy sources trying to spark chaos by sharing hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and hearsay about hurricane response efforts across our mountains,” Edwards wrote.
It comes after Mayorkas warned last week that FEMA did not have the funds to make it through the current hurricane season, spurring alarm across the country.
Mayorkas was forced to clarify those comments during the same conversation with reporters, stating FEMA had funding to meet its “immediate needs.”
The comments were met with skepticism by GOP leaders after Congress made $20 billion in FEMA funds available in federal funding legislation last month, and it exacerbated tensions as some North Carolina residents are already struggling with adequate supplies and aid.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested to Fox News Digital last week that the House would act on additional disaster aid as soon as possible but noted it likely will not be possible until November, when Congress returns after the election.
FOX CORPORATION LAUNCHES DONATION DRIVE FOR AMERICAN RED CROSS HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS
Members of the Florida Army National Guard check for any remaining residents in nearly deserted Bradenton Beach, where piles of debris from Hurricane Helene flooding still sit outside damaged homes ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 on Anna Maria Island, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Edwards said in his letter that he was already helping prepare a supplemental funding bill for when the time comes.
The funding woes also prompted some Republicans to point to a separate FEMA-run program that provides support to illegal immigrants at the border, questioning whether the roughly $1 billion allocated there over the last two fiscal years was taken from money for disaster relief.
However, Edwards unequivocally denied that in his Tuesday letter, despite top Republicans like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., promoting the claim.
HURRICANE HELENE: NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS FIGHT FOR THEIR SURVIVAL AS BASIC GOODS BECOME SCARCE
“Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts,” Edwards said. “FEMA’s non-disaster related presence at the border has always been of major concern to me, even before Hurricane Helene, and I will continue to condemn their deployment of personnel to the southern border, but we must separate the two issues.”
Edwards admitted FEMA had “shortfalls” in its response but denied the federal agency was seizing private property or providing only $750 to disaster survivors, claims that were spread on the internet by unverified sources.
GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards said disaster aid was not being redirected to the southern border. (HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
He also said FEMA was not conducting road closures or vehicle inspections, nor was it restricting airspace for rescue operations.
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“Nobody seeking to fly resources into Western North Carolina will be prohibited from doing so by the FAA or North Carolina Emergency Management so long as they coordinate their efforts with NC Aviation,” Edwards wrote.
It comes after Elon Musk spread rumors that FEMA was blocking the distribution of supplies and that airspace was blocked amid his efforts to distribute Starlink internet connections.
Edwards also assured that Hurricane Helene “was NOT geoengineered by the government,” noting, “Nobody can control the weather.”
That came in response to online conspiracy theories that the federal government intentionally created the hurricane to take control of the area’s lithium mines.
The DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
FC Dallas is back out on the road tonight as they begin their nine-game road trip when they take on the San Jose Earthquakes.
Lineups are in from both sides. Let’s dive into what Eric Quill’s starting group looks like, who is on the bench, and who we believe will see minutes later on in this one.
What Changed From Last Match
As expected, we have several changes to the lineup tonight. Canadian international Jonathan Sirois earns his first FC Dallas start tonight in goal over Michael Collodi.
Outside of that swap, Herman Johansson, Santiago Moreno, Patrickson Delgado and Joaquin Valiente return to the lineup.
FC Dallas Lineup Notes:
Formation: 3-4-3
Projected lineup · subject to change
Starting XI
Bench
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Who should come off the bench?
Given the rotation in the lineup, I’d imagine we will see Cappis, Farrington, Sarver and Ibeahga, and Binyamin off the bench in this one.
Key Question Heading Into Kickoff
After the let down on Wednesday, can FC Dallas start the road trip off on the right foot?
This game is certainly going to set the tone for the long road trip. San Jose has been very good this season at home and Dallas hasn’t won there since 2016. If Dallas can find a way to withstand the early pressure, create some solid chances of their own on the counter attack, and limit the defensive mistakes that let them down on Wednesday, they should be able to come out with at least a point tonight.
Suspended: none
International duty: none
Season-ending injury list: Kaka Scabin (knee)
Out: Anderson Julio (Lower leg), Bernard Kamungo (lower leg)
Questionable: none
On Loan: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Enes Sali (Al-Riyadh), Malachi Molina (Nashville SC), Geovane Jesus (North Texas SC), Enzo Newman (North Texas SC)
Unavailable (off-roster): Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras
San Jose Lineup:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI
How to watch
📅 Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
⚽️ Kickoff: 7:30 PM
🏟 Venue: PayPal Park
📺 Streaming: MLS Season Pass
💬 Gameday Social: #FCDvSJE
☀️ Weather: 72, sunny
I have discussed this topic in the past, but it’s one of those things that never seems to fade in the minds of Miami Dolphins fans as a whole. As long as websites have been available on the internet, where people have been free to share any opinion they wish for the whole world to see, there has been a long-running complaint from many in our fan base that the media just flat-out disrespects or hates our Dolphins.
Many theories about why this happens center on the fact that most of the national media is based in the northeastern US. Many of the talking heads in this industry also come from places like New York, where, if they grew up as fans of one of the local teams, they probably grew up to hate the Dolphins, especially if they grew up in the 70’s or 80’s when the team was somewhere between great and at least good nearly every single season.
I, for one, have never really cared. First off, like many of you, I also grew up a diehard fan of the Miami Hurricanes football program. As such, I long ago learned to embrace the hate as I suspect it will always be there, even if most of their “reasoning” about the team being this way or another behavior-wise is tied to teams that are 30-40 years in the past. Ironically, many of those same players who were labeled as bad guys, thugs, etc., were then cheered and loved by the very same people once they joined their favorite NFL team. Funny how that works…
I can also remember a time, mostly because I am old, when this team was always good and, most years at least, a threat to get to the playoffs and do damage. In those days, and mind you, the media landscape was much different without the internet; the media was not so negative towards the team. In fact, I still have several old magazines, like Sports Illustrated, that had the Dolphins or Dan Marino on the front cover or in a positive featured story. Mind you, this was all during a time when the team was somewhat feared by other teams, not just the poster child for ineptitude.
So with that in mind, this evening’s Phinsider Question Of The Day is:
If you ever did in the first place, do you believe that the national media still shows utter disrespect for the Miami Dolphins, and if so, do you believe that this is deserved, earned, or just regional bias against a team that resides in a place that most of them wish they could actually live?
Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-
ATLANTA – Zoo Atlanta was evacuated Saturday afternoon due to a hoax threat, according to Atlanta police.
What we know:
The Atlanta Police department said officers determined the call was “false.”
FOX 5’s Annie Mapp was at the zoo and spoke with visitors who said they were denied entry and told that the facility had been evacuated.
Mapp reported seeing staff members sitting outside the zoo gate and a heavy police presence in the area. K9 officers were also spotted outside Savannah Hall.
What they’re saying:
Zoo Atlanta released the following statement:
“Zoo Atlanta received a bomb threat late this afternoon. While this may be the latest in a series of unsubstantiated threats made to organizations around the U.S. in recent weeks, out of an extreme abundance of caution, all Members, guests, and Zoo team members were safely evacuated from Zoo grounds. Law enforcement responded quickly and has confirmed the Zoo is safe.”
What we don’t know:
The exact nature of the hoax has not been released.
FOX 5 is working to learn more about the situation and has reached out to officials for additional information.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: This story contains information from Atlanta police and Annie Mapp on the scene.
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