GOVERNOR CRITICIZED FOR EMERGENCY UNPREPAREDNESS
A day late (and who knows how many lives/ dollars short), S.C. governor Nikki Haley has activated 600 National Guard troops to help respond to “Floodmaggedon,” the deadly, disastrous downpour that has wreaked havoc on lives and property in the Palmetto State this weekend.
Haley’s announcement came amid scathing criticism from state lawmakers and local leaders regarding her emergency response preparedness … or lack thereof.
“Legislators (are) up in arms,” one veteran GOP operative told FITS. “Wondering where she’s been.”
Specifically Haley has been criticized for failing to deploy adequate resources in advance of the storm striking the state – despite multiple weather reports days in advance which specifically predicted the path of the system.
Lawmakers who have spoken with the governor in the aftermath of the massive flooding tell FITS she has been “stand-offish.” One lawmaker who participated in a conference call with Haley told us she “snapped” at S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas after he suggested suggested she needed to move faster to deploy additional resources in the hard-hit Midlands region of the state.
“She was clearly offended (by Lucas’ suggestion),” the lawmaker told us.
Earlier in the day, a political consultant who advises several GOP members of the S.C. House told us Haley was experiencing her “Hodges moment,” a reference to former S.C. governor Jim Hodges‘ botched 1999 evacuation of Charleston as Hurricane Floyd approached the Palmetto coastline.
The consultant said Haley was still withholding resources – and argued her delays were politically motivated.
“She still has 500 guardsmen in reserve. In reserve for what, a nuclear attack?” the consultant scoffed. “Tomorrow the governor will walk away from this issue because it is Richland and Charleston (counties), the cameras will have left and these areas do not vote for her.”
“She was happy to put on an emergency response jacket and have a press conference,” he added, “but after the cameras are off, she leaves with no decisions made or plan in place.”
Operational incompetence aside, Haley also drew jeers for other omissions from her press conference Sunday afternoon. Specifically, she failed to acknowledge the lives lost during the tragedy – and failed to thank first responders for risking their lives to keep the body count as low as possible.
Haley eventually mentioned first responders after a member of the media questioned her.
Haley was also criticized for attending her alma mater Clemson University’s football game on Saturday night – despite telling other fans it was unsafe for them to attend the contest.
The governor declared a state of emergency last Thursday and ordered the National Guard to coordinate its efforts with the S.C. Emergency Management Division (SCEMD). The guard wasn’t activated until 9:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday morning, though.
By then many roads were impassable and they were unable to get where they were needed.
123 comments
Where is the State Guard? That bunch of unarmed wannabes, like Richard Eckstrom, are supposed to be at three-day during time of disaster. Where are they?
Crickets?
The way this flooding is being managed is clearly being handled by people who DO NOT know what the FUCK they are doing – PERIOD!!!!!
The State Guard will be pressing their pretty dress uniforms for a week so that they will look great when it is time to get medals!
They are a joke.
They are on duty guarding the gold that Lee Bright and his cohorts have stashed under the statehouse for when the FED goes belly up….
Bright and his cohorts are REALLY looking out for the future of the great state of South Carolina..don’t you understand that?????
The flooding and road closing in Charleston County are being horribly managed. Putting signs out on 55mph highway right next to where flooding is at that say “water on road” is asinine and stupid. The signs need to be 300 to 400 feet back from the flood. Then, shutting down highway 17 south without any signs up ahead warning you is totally incompetent. Who in the hell is in charge of things in Charleston? A clown?????
Ain’t that Sanfraud’s district???
Give that duty shirking SOB a call…
What does T-Rav have to say about all this? How’s that bridge doing?
I don’t care what T-Rav has to say about anything but I’m sure Sanfraud is saying that South Carolina does not need a cent of federal money or one damn bit of assistance from FEMA
The Great state of South Carolina takes care of its own…..take your federal programs and kiss this state’s ass……
They ought to split the funding by congressional representative vote. Only Clyburn’s district would receive funding. The rest of them would be shit of luck. Might teach the yeehaws to think about who they are voting for in the future.
But we still have lots and lots of money for 200,000 Syrian refugees…
Oh shit, Henry! Don’t give him ideas. Waaay too many T-Rav/Southern Charm stories on here each week. What is even more sickening, is they usually draw double, triple, or more hits than a good political corruption story.
That silverback gorrilla mayor Benji just announced at the news conference he’s suspending the sale of firearms and ammunition with the city limits for the time being…who knew he could override the Constitution?
Typical liberal Dim. Use any excuse to denigh constitutionally guaranteed RIGHTS. We don’t call them Dims for nothing.
at least it is not as bad as new orleans..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taU9d26wT4
The assholes portrayed in this video were not cops, they were terrorist pigs. Had they eaten a bullet and I was on the jury, no way would there have been a conviction.
Yeah, unless you quote a source I’m going to have to call bullshit on that one. Even T-Bone isn’t that stupid.
Quote a source? He just said it live on TV not an hour ago.
I must have been watching Gilligan’s Island at the time. I haven’t seen anything anywhere of him stating this.
He did that at the end of the press conference. I thought it odd as hell.
It’s not just odd as hell……he’s going to get his ass sued off over it.
He just likes using power. Basically, he’s a temporary dictator even if he gets sued down the road.
The again, he got away with firing people investigating him for drunk driving after he maimed that waitress….so there’s cause for him to think he’s untouchable.
County in NC did that once during a snow storm. Just wasn’t limited to a ban on gun sales – banned alcohol sales and driving on the roads. Lot of flack about it.
there are going to be a lot of workers trying to put the city back together running around in the dark as the power is in a lot of places gun owners should use extreme caution as the looter you think you are killing may be a rescue worker or utility worker
And that relates to Benjis illegal act……how?
does’nt, just needed to be said
Point taken…..but if you see a guy leaving your neighbors house with his underwear hanging out and a flat-screen on his shoulder, he’s probably not a utility worker.
It is the law- Mayor can during a state of emergency
During the existence of a proclaimed state of emergency when a curfew has been defined and imposed under the provisions of this article, it shall be unlawful for anyone subject to curfew to:
(1) Be or travel upon any public street, alley or roadway or upon public property unless such travel is necessary to obtain medical assistance;
(2) Possess off one’s own premises, buy, sell, give away or otherwise transfer or dispose of any explosives, firearms, ammunition or dangerous weapon of any kind;
(3) Sell beer, wine or intoxicating beverages of any kind; or possess or consume beer, wine or intoxicating beverages off one’s own premises; or
(4) Sell gasoline or any other similar petroleum products or any other combustible or inflammable substances except as expressly authorized by the provisions of the curfew imposed
Wrong……the Banana Republic city of Columbia may well have such a law, but it is invalid and clearly unconstitutional ….New Orleans tried the same thing during Katrina and were overturned.
Then someone should sue since you can’t buy a gun till tomorrow morning at 6am. Not sure where in the city of Columbia one could swim to buy one in the dark anyway.
It has nothing to do with the 6pm to 6am curfew. It’s supposedly in effect as long as the mayor “deems” it necessary.
Where did you quote this from, please?
https://www.municode.com/library/sc/columbia/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH7EMMA
Thank you for your reply! As I suspected, these are “City Ordinances”. In SC, they are superceded by State Law, which for the most part, they are in conflict with.
This is what happens when we let you liberals run a major city. :)
My prayers are with you and your community that this soon passes.Be safe.
You too, flip!
I love it when people die from flooding because I can blame it on those liberals! I’m secretly a tax loving socialist though! LMAO!!!!
He just committed a felony. He can be charged, arrested, and sent to prison.,
Sadly, he know’s that’ll never happen. He’s a big name politico in SC with the backing of a large political machine. For that reason, SLED will never question his activities. The Federales, if they question him at all, it will be with kid gloves and they won’t look very deeply, as with Metts. Prosecutor Nettles, as with Metts, would cut him a sweetheart deal and not prosecute for but a fraction of the less than tip of the iceberg the FBI uncovers.
Who said that crime doesn’t pay?
Yeah, but the NRA isn’t scared of his ass…..they successfully sued New Orleans for millions of dollars and the return of thousands of firearms confiscated from civilians after Katrina.
True, they did do good, there! I have doubts about the ILA (something I used to believe in) since they have developed a pattern of supporting incumbents whose actions have been anything but pro-gun for years over promising new candidates who would be a definite improvement over the formerly pro-gun incumbents. Think Jake Knotts or Mike Pitts.
Are you in the affected area? You OK?
Hi Taz! I’m doing okay for now. Got power, running water, and so far, no roof leaks. All around, here in LexCo, there’s flooding and other issues. Fixing to venture out and hoping to get a pork chop biscuit in a few.
How are things where you are?
Unbelievably unaffected in Lancaster, steady kind of light to moderate rain all weekend. It just wasn’t hard enough to overrun drainage. Lot of wind debris. Power went out, had to evac to the nearest sports bar for the first half. When we got there Florida already had 13 on the board.
Glad you’re generally doing well, Taz. I didn’t know you were in the Red Rose. I always thought you were in RH.
I am okay.Been tracking all corrupt SC politicians from my 100 foot Oak tree in my front yard.Wet up here but if I hold a coat hanger in the air I can get communictions between law makers and find out what they will do with the billions daddy Obama is going to send us.Just heard Metts had scrambled eggs for breakfast.The Buzzman is reporting it rained in Murrels Inlet and his tent has a leak.
Silverback gorilla? Holy shit guy you are one racist idiot.
Aww….does your pussy hurt?
Hours ago Tim Scott was at the Charleston Emergency Center for the conference call update. He has been using twitter before and after telling people to stay home and other info. But our Governor, not a peep out of her, until she showed up close to 3pm for run a down of what to say in front of the cameras. Even Graham tweeted earlier today on the situation – not it helped anybody. I haven’t seen or heard anything out of our worthless Congressional Reps.
Trey Gowdy is too busy with Bengazi and deciding if he’s gonna take the Speaker of the House gig to say anything…….but IF he did say anything he would probably say:, “the flooding hasn’t been too bad in the GSP area, hate it for ya but I gotta get back to this Bengazi thing,being I’m laser focused and all……….
New Winthrop Poll:
Haley has a higher approval rating (55%) than any other person or group polled. That includes Obama, Graham, Tim Scott, Congress, the state legislature, or the Tea Paty.
Her statewide support was unchanged, while her support among Republicans dropped front 78% to 68%.
http://www.winthrop.edu/winthroppoll/default.aspx?id=9804&ekmensel=fee512e3_566_0_9804_3
I can’t believe she out polled Sen. Scott. The rest pretty much to be expected.
i can see it Rogue, i’m a democrat i really don’t have a lot of problems with scott or his policies
Tim Scott had a 53% approval, the only other one above 50%.
Roaches have higher approval ratings than members of Congress or the Tea Party. I think her taking down the confederate flag did her more good than harm with the general population.
how did they come up with the worst flood in a 1000 years? who was around in 1015 giving weather reports
Merlin the Wizard….same guy that was monitoring CO2 levels and temperature readings back then.
It is about probability, not what happened 1000 years.
But the USGS doesn’t use that term anymore. “The reason we got away from ‘100-year flood’ terminology is because people mistakenly thought it’s one that only happens every 100 years,” Kimbrough told LiveScience. Instead, the new term is a “one percent annual exceedance probability flood,” he said. Though he acknowledged the term doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, it more accurately describes how the term is calculated, he said.
Likewise, a 1,000-year flood has a 0.1 percent chance of occurring each year. And a 50-year flood has a 2 percent chance of happening yearly in a given location, Kimbrough added.
Thanks, but it’s still confusing. How about put that in an equation that I can use on women? “Gee, darling, what is the annual percentage of exceedance probability that you’ll spend the night with me tonight?”
Joe Piner.
National Guard:
Fat old guys to the rescue. Thank goodness.
What are they gonna do, ride around in Humvees passing out water, MRE’s and wet vacs????
is it just my area or is water out all over the place, i’m in shandon
looking at twitter you’re not alone. lots of power and water outages.
Vibrator alert.Out of batteries.
Always stock up on the super-sized packs (48) at Home Depot when they are on sale …..
I am in heaven.My dog just gave me an orgasm-watching him play.
turn off your bathtub faucet ….
Hi Stumpknocker! It appears that Columbia’s water system is mostly, if not completely, out of order. I have friends in Forest Acres who have been without since last night.
The crooked bastards ruining Columbia, instead of putting water service revenue into repairing and upgrading the ancient system, have pissed the money away on get-rich-quick schemes for their cronies and themselves for many years.
The article on WIS’s site says to be ready to do without water for another three or four days. Several major hospitals are close to evacuating because of this.
I hope you or my friends in FA don’t have to wait that long.
Bud it would be an understatement to say Columbia’s water and waste water facilities are in near disastrous condition. i know of what I speak.
Haley and her cronies had plenty of warning by weather experts as to what was coming – and dozens of hours to prepare for it. I guess she and her advisors were expecting the Weather Channel to tell them what to do. Clearly, this woman should not be in charge of ANY GOD DAMN THING!
A lot of us saw that writing on the wall not long after she began her first term as Governor, despite having voted for her. Unfortunately, we have an apparent majority of idiots in this state who, even after witnessing the self-centered “me first” behavior and corruption exhibited throughout her first term in office, thought that giving her a second term to do more of the same was somehow, a good idea.
Who did you vote for in 2014? Socialist Sheheen or ‘swervin’ Ervin the RINO?
If you were around in 2010, you would know I had nothing good to say about Sheheen or his family. I was 110% behind Haley. After witnessing almost four years of her unbridled, shameless, corruption, there was no way I was going to vote to give her four more years to do the same. When the curtain closed behind me, I did something I thought I’d never do, I voted for a Sheheen. Nikki has been THAT bad as a Governor, IMO.
Gee, that’s pretty harsh coming from you …..
Eh?
Damn.I give you credit for being honest however a vote for Sheheen was a vote for Obama.
I kinda see your point, but not really on voting for 0bama. I would never have voted for him, unless the ONLY two choices were him and Hillary. Lack of experience made him a little less dangerous, but he is gaining that quickly. :-(
Of course, she got that “R” in front.
Haven’t really paid any attention this weekend, just laid low and watched my Gators perform a miracle, but many at work this morning have commented on how well she has done. We’re talking an office full of Haley haters here.
Haley and her cronies have a nuclear powered anti flooding device. They keep it a secret because they make too much money on a government flood insurance scam. I works by cloud seeding so that all the rain falls as jello. That way it stays put and does over flow streams. Haley and her cronies refuse to use it, preferring we suffer so they can make their fortune on insurance fraud.
Jello you say?
They say it feels like a warm apple pie, just colder.
:-D
There is another plan to drop tampons from military cargo jets to soak up all the water.
Another person hitting the Angry Orchard Hard Cider ……
Due to I-95 being closed … SC Highway 17 being closed, trucking is a mess right now.
I bet it is! I feel sorry for those guys, especially the ones trapped in one spot with no place to go.
One more reason to use rail for transportation more than presently utilized………………..
Did you see the pictures of the railroad bridge that washed out over the Congaree river?
Must have needed to get hubby out of the Lov Govs shack.
Lake Murray Dam is having to release excessive water to keep from overflowing.
Lake Greenwood flood gates have been opened. Some down stream residents had to be evacuated because of it.
Riverbanks Zoo ?@RiverbanksZoo 3h3 hours ago
No truth to the rumors of a hippo escaping the Zoo. We don’t have hippos. All of our animals are safe.
I am still eating eating chicken wings and ribs in the WH tonight.I have not escaped
No one knew where Nikki was for almost 24 hours.
I bet Bible Thumper does? :)
Hmmm
Since FITS’s opinion of the Military is so low what difference does it make when or how many Guardsmen were activated?
Nikki Haley hates black people specifically the ones who live in Richland County and Charleston County who did not vote for her. Good luck with the drownings she said!!
Shame on you Rocky!
Weren’t me. We’ve been happily hold up all weekend, cooked some good chili, some South American style potato soup this afternoon, watched some good football, played games – a regular family style weekend. Local area is post Hugo storm drainage system, saying dry and not driving around. Waves sucked this weekend, thought we might get some good swells from storm, but just wind chop. Could use some sunshine, but hey, electric on, watching Anthony Bourdain, flpping back to Dallas game and enjoying a Blue Moon. Glad I’m not in Columbia – and convinced Haley is a complete failure – waiting for Cruz and Rand Paul to screw us on any fed funds for recovery come December.
10-4 on the Blue Moon!!!!
I knew there was something I liked about you!!!
BTW…….Blue Moon in the bottle is OK but GREAT when it’s draft (has to be fresh though….it will get stale in that mile long tubing that most bars use to dispense these days – you can tell if it’s stale if it’s dark yellow/almost light brown – that shit is nasty – make sure it gets ‘purged’ till it is a nice pale yellow)
*******Seriously……..*********
Thinking of all you folks in middle and coastal areas. We dodged most of the bad stuff here in the upstate but we’ll get our turn when it snows or a bad tornado…..
*****Wishing for a total recovery for all affected.*********
I’ve got property in the Wilmington area and when it rains hard parts of the beach I have property in (no domicile, just undeveloped property) gets flooded every time, I expect it’s even worse this time. My property is outside of the flood zone but the streets 2-3 blocks from the high water line get flooded on a routine basis…………
**********Speaking of Queen Namrata……if it’s true she stated that everyone should stay home watch the Clemson-ND game on TV and that witch showed up at the game high and dry in a penthouse stadium suite that shit should be WIDELY reported and should be questioned about her actions at every turn********
I couldn’t blame the members of congress whose constituients were affected by Hurricane Sandy to remind the congressional delegation of South Carolina (and other ultra–conservative members of congress) how they reacted by dragging their heels concerning aid to New York and New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy (remember how much shit Christie got for hugging “Obammer”?)
https://imgflip.com/i/s1xoi
Activate the Guard.
Does this mean the First Eunuch might get his scrotum damp?
You liberals cheer when our police officers get killed, hate our military and those that serve and now mock the National Guard. Evil and disgusting.
On chance he’ll have.
Drunk and ugly as usual.
Nah, just one all weekend, right now. Sort of been a quiet rainy couple of days.
Haley – “Hey – I’ll give your black anaconda a nice warm home for $1.4 billion to clean up the mess.”
Obama – “Yuck. I’ll just give you the cash, after you streak down King Street.”
People of Charleston – “Please no!!! Just give us the cash.”
Gorilla face Michelle, might disagree with that. The woman is not attractive except to monkey man Barack.
You’ve been into the Angry Orchard Hard Cider again, have you?
A CLASSIC!
It’s naturally gluten free, and the can is cleverly colorful and artistic — it’s made so you can cut out the two images and apply them to, say, a kid’s toy box, garage wall, tackle box, or anything you desire — just check them out…
I dunnn-oooo warcxht you mean – hick-up!!!
(heh – heh) You’re not fooling anyone, Rocky, the Angry Orchard Hard Cider is only 5% alcohol by volume in a 16 oz can —- unless you’re drowning yourself in it..!! (extra chuckle here)
“By then many roads were impassable and they were unable to get where they were needed.”
What a load – my merry little band of disaster recovery fellows had almost no trouble getting where we needed to get. There is NOTHING that could have been done during the rising waters to prevent anything that has happened do far except for some irresponsible municipal and private lake owners failing to control their lake’s waterlevels. Gills creek has had a huge flooding problem since the entire Forest Acres, Lake Catherine area was developed. The increasing every six months hard scaling only exacerbates the situation.
Since I have the day off tomorrow, I’ll be back out helping my neighbors recover – why don’t the rest of you quit your carping for the day and do likewise.
Dude, flip works more than YOU! What do you mean you are off tomorrow? :)
School’s closed. I’ll go in to make sure the office didn’t get washed away but that’s it. I’ve got a group of curmudgeons who’ll be out cutting trees and limbs of houses in the morning.
10-4.Thank you for your service.
Wonder if this means that Haley’s no count, no work husband will have to put on his uniform and get his feet wet. Nikki Palin should resign.
It looks like T-Bone and company have drained finances off of the Columbia Water and Sewer system so much, and for so long, the water system in and around Columbia has shut down. Rather than maintaining or upgrading the system, they have chosen to pilfer from this one revenue-positive aspect of city government and now much of Columbia and Forest Acres is without water to the point that several major hospitals are about to be forced to evacuate.
And to think that Tamieka Isaac-Devine has the gall to ask for a pay increase (over the table) for her and her fellow bloodsuckers!
Cola’s lousy leaders have been robbing that water systems for decades. T-bone is doing a fine job of continuing that tradition but it is nothing new.
Watching Cola assault the taxpayers and skirt the law for years has caused me to have no confidence in government. I have personally watched city employees breaks laws and enrich themselves and law enforcement does not care.
Hi Disappointed! You are correct! The malfeasance regarding the water system goes back to at least the Coble/Austin corruptocracy, maybe farther.
As a progressive I like Nikki. Prob is Columbia just sucks as a city, The horrible heat, too many creeks that flood, too many low properties without flood insurance,make it an undesirable place to live, not to mention the traffic and congestion. And everyone is a social climber. And I lived there for 20 years. No more.