Rep. Chuck Edwards: “The bureaucracy inside of FEMA has been extremely frustrating. The breakdown in communication between FEMA and the state has been extremely frustrating.”

DC insider Michael Whatley continues to face pressure from his own party for his failure to deliver federal relief to Western North Carolina after he was named the “recovery czar” nine months ago. 

While Whatley has been “absent,” Rep. Chuck Edwards is “extremely frustrated[ed]” with FEMA, slamming the bureaucracy, inconsistency, and lack of communication as most federal funding has not been released to the community.

This follows Ted Budd sounding the alarm over delayed federal relief, calling it a “problem” that “should not have been allowed.” And dozens of Western North Carolinians have blasted Whatley for his failure, “expressing anger” and saying he “is to blame” for the delays in federal relief.

“Michael Whatley’s failure to get federal relief to Western North Carolina as FEMA ‘recovery czar’ has been so damaging to relief efforts that even his own party is sounding the alarm,” said Mallory Payne, senior communications advisor at the North Carolina Democratic Party. “While North Carolinians have been left waiting almost a year for the resources they need to rebuild, Whatley is doing what he’s always done – leave North Carolinians behind while he prioritizes special interests and billionaires.”

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