Written for MeidasTouch by J.D. Wolf

MAGA Republicans are active on social media, giving guidance about Hurricane Helene and attempting to project leadership to their followers. However, 82 of them voted to shut down the government on Wednesday.

Rep. Nancy Mace posted a video warning people not to venture outside, stating that FEMA would be available if needed. In another video, Mace discussed touring the damaged areas with a response team.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted that 11 people had died in Georgia from Hurricane Helene and that she was praying for the safety of all in Georgia.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna directed her followers to contact FEMA for assistance, despite having threatened that very assistance by voting for a government shutdown.

While MAGA Republicans are posting about the hurricane, it should be emphasized that 82 of them voted to shut down the federal government this week. Shutting down the government would likely have impacted federal resources and coordination efforts.

Democratic Rep. Jennifer Weston stated that during a government shutdown, "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff will still respond to emergencies, but all long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund." According to that statement, while FEMA will respond, their Disaster Relief Fund is affected.

FEMA has struggled to manage the threats of government shutdowns in the past, often having to divert funding and halt projects. A shutdown also jeopardizes flood insurance programs, which could affect homebuyers' closing processes.

According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Helene has killed 35 people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and the storm is expected to impact other states as well.

Here are the MAGA Republican Representatives from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina who voted to shut down the government during hurricane season:

Florida:

Bean, Bilirakis, Cammack, Donalds, Gaetz, Lee, Luna, Mills, Posey, Waltz, Webster

Georgia:

Clyde, Collins, Greene, McCormick

North Carolina:

Bishop

South Carolina:

Duncan, Fry, Mace, Norman, Timmons

The other MAGA Republicans who voted to shut down the government can be found here. The effort to keep the government open passed without a single Democratic lawmaker voting against it.

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However, if these 21 representatives had their way, the government would have been shut down right after a hurricane struck their states. That’s irresponsible.