Lauren Boebert has been slammed after she criticised President Joe Biden for his handling of the Maui wildfires.
“There is a total crisis in Maui,” she wrote on social media on Sunday afternoon. “3000 destroyed homes. 80 people dead. Where’s Joe Biden? On vacation of course. There is no bottom for this president.”
Mr Biden was at his Delaware beach house for the weekend after having approved a major disaster declaration on Thursday. He said, “Every asset that we have will be available to” those affected in Hawaii.
Mr Biden added that the declaration will help to “get aid into the hands of people who desperately need help”.
“Anyone who’s lost a loved one or whose home has been damaged or destroyed is going to get help immediately,” he said.
The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Deanne Criswell, is in Maui after arriving during the weekend. Mr Biden said he instructed the agency to streamline aid requests.
Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris said that she and Mr Biden were not going to visit Hawaii at this time because “we don’t want to distract from the resources that need to go to the victims of this tragedy and of course the needs of the first responders”.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green tweeted on 11 August: “It’s going to take a great deal of time to recover from this, but we have the support from every level of government, especially given President Biden’s approval of our disaster declaration request today.”
As of Monday morning, 96 people have been declared dead as a result of the fires.
Ms Boebert was criticised for her post on social media by users pointing to efforts by the Biden administration and others who criticised her lack of effort to help.
“Since the fires began, this is the only mention of #Maui by Lauren Boebert. Not a call for donations. Not a repost of someone gathering care packages for the victims. Not a repost of a go fund me. She doesn’t care about the people or homes destroyed, just scoring #maga points,” one Twitter user said.
“The last thing the rescue effort needs is a presidential entourage. They’re encouraging homeowners who live off the island to let their houses open to locals and first responders. They don’t need more hotel rooms taken up by Secret Service. It’s an island, not Baton Rouge,” Bruce Godfrey said.
“What are you talking about? He already approved Maui for disaster relief and has been doing all he can up to this point. You want him to do what, land into Maui while the wildfires are still going? Come on Congresswoman, stop using other people’s grief for political gain. That’s so beneath you and the office you hold,” Reggie Townsend added.
“Rep. Boebert, we in Hawai’i look forward to you and your House Republican colleagues to expedite help to the Maui community affected by this tragedy ... as soon as you get your head out of your ʻākea. Mahalo,” Gary Chun said.
