Chuck Wright, Spartanburg Co. Sheriff, talks about FEMA threats
Well, we’re in Lake Lower North Carolina and I’m, uh, up here with the great sheriff of Rutherford County. Uh, Aaron Ellenberg. He’s done *** great job up here. I might head, um, the devastation up here is, um, it’s deep, it’s just deep. But, but I do, let, let me tell you since my other video went viral. Everybody says I’m beating up on everybody, which I’m not behind me is the National Guard and they are like the best, you know, we got them, uh, all the AT&T service people, mountain people working together and, uh, it, it’s, it’s going pretty smooth. Sure. That’s what’s special about everybody coming together, working together and taking care of each other. Yeah, I can tell you, step and I will agree. We’ve seen *** lot of God sightings up here. I mean, when, when, and I hate that it takes something like this for people to come together and to be good to people. But, you know, it doesn’t matter to s beg and I, you don’t matter if you voted for Republican or Democrat, can you just tell us where you need it that up for you? No questions. We love our people. It’s about doing the right thing for human beings. So, uh, Sheriff Wright, are you up there in your official sheriff capacity or are you just up there as *** volunteer? I know you’ve been up there the past couple of days. *** little bit of both. I’m doing whatever the sheriff tells me to do. He’s, he’s been *** blessing. He’s been *** blessing. I appreciate, uh, his expertise and, uh, experienced sheriff been by my side and kind of helped me guide through some of this because, you know, many of us, we’ve never dealt with anything of this magnitude. And, um, you know, any of us and something like this. It’s very appreciative. It’s *** team effort. You know, everybody says, well, that North Carolina and I’m like, doesn’t matter to me. We’re Americans. Yeah. Yeah, we’re just people, man. We just want to help people. Yeah. She, Fred, I do have to ask you just because we’ve had folks call and email into the newsroom. I mean, you hit on it on that, on that video. Um, the first question you, when you were asked about, you know, your message to the White House, you said they are nothing more than *** boat anchor. Can you just elaborate on that? Yeah, I, what I should have elaborated then. But the, uh, the fema people, you know, the people that are on the ground, great people. But, but the whole organization is so organized when you say Sheriff and I agree, they, they don’t, I mean, we ask them what they want done and they’re like, well, we don’t know. Um, I’m telling you if you get out of the way of the good men and women that live up here and come up here to help, we know how to get things back in order. But, uh, fema has, whenever you’ve seen them, they’ve just been unorganized and was there for that. Uh, I mean, she’s telling people to get on the computer and on the phone. *** lot of people. So, um, some folks are, are writing and upset over, over you calling her that lady. You know, what would you say to the folks who are upset about that? Ok. Well, I didn’t say anything negative about her. So let me say madam vice president as you, right? Should be called. Um, I, I don’t think that they’ve done *** good job of getting people on the ground here and I don’t, I sure would. You agree? They just haven’t done *** good job of getting people on the ground to help people in need. Um, most of the people we’ve talked to up in this region have talked about applying for it. They did it like they’re supposed to, they followed the instructions and they get turned down for it. And some people I’ve heard say stuff like this is *** slap in the face when giving all the money to other countries. You know, how about taking care of us first? That that’s where I was coming from. So, look, I’m not gonna back up and make no apologies for anything. I said, I, I want the federal government whoever’s in charge, whether it’s Democrat Republican, who cares? I just want them to be for the American people and, and I don’t think that’s what’s going on right now. I know there’s another storm that hit, um, in Florida. So I know that the tension is divided but, you know, there are people here that don’t even have homes anymore. They don’t even know what they’re gonna eat the next month. So, we’re trying to, we’re trying to help them and I’ve been hearing from the people up here. It’s kind of *** slap in the face of the $750. That’s what I’m hearing. We, we don’t care what your politics are. We just want to take care of Americans and I think that’s kind of what he was, you know, kind of going toward his money’s been shipped off to other countries where we need it here. We have people hurting that needs help. Yeah, I couldn’t agree more. I mean, when you got older people that are talking about the only thing I could rescue my dogs, you know, they don’t, they don’t have clothes except what they escaped on and some of them got rescued in ***, in ***, in *** boat or *** kayak or somebody was kind enough to walk them down *** trail or whatever, the safety. So, you know, it’s just frustrating. I was talking to *** citizen who owns *** business up in chimney rock and basically they, they have *** $500,000 loan. They have no income coming in. Now, they have actually two businesses that they pretty much lost in this storm and they have no flood insurance. So, you know, they don’t know what they’re gonna do. Yeah, they’re in desperate need. Um My last question for you. Um You know, obviously that video, like you said, kinda, kinda went viral. Do you think, do you think statements, the statements in, in that video? Do you think they’re, they’re help helping the recovery and the relief efforts? It got some people’s attention. That’s what I was trying to do. We have plenty of help up here. People are working well together. Um, as Sheriff of Ruford County, I couldn’t be more pleased on the efforts at this point. Uh There’s *** lot of work got done um briefly quickly, very quickly and I’m so thankful for our law enforcement. Uh All of our emergency personnel say, uh getting up here working together, taking care of what needs to be taken care of and the construction people has come in. We’ve all worked together. Just been great. Yeah, I have *** motto around law enforcement lead. Follow or get out of the way I don’t see *** whole lot of leading right now. So, get out of the way. All right. Anything else you’d like to add? Yeah. I, again, we’ve been seeing *** lot of guide sightings from people. Um, and, and the message is, um, you know, it wasn’t about anybody’s, I’ve been called racist and everything. I didn’t say anything about nobody’s skin color because that’s not what I’m about anyway. But I don’t understand why people go straight to the race. They just don’t agree politically. You know, I’m gonna vote for Donald Trump. I don’t really care who knows it if you don’t vote for Kamala Harris. Ok. Ok. Fine. We can agree to disagree but still, you know, have *** good relationship and maybe go out and help these people get something done about their lives. That’s the only point I was trying to make.
Chuck Wright, Spartanburg Co. Sheriff, talks about FEMA threats
Updated: 8:14 AM EDT Oct 15, 2024
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright has a message for anyone who wants to threaten FEMA workers in Western North Carolina during Helene recovery efforts – “You best not mess with none of these FEMA people.”On Sunday night, Wright posted a response on Facebook about what he calls the “alarming threats directed at FEMA.” (Video above: Chuck Wright on Friday responding to Helene response in Western North Carolina) Wright has been spending time in the areas hit hardest by Helene and working with Rutherford County Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg on the recovery efforts. On Friday, WYFF News 4 spoke with Wright after a video of him criticizing some of the federal response to Helene went viral.Wright said in the now viral video, “If you are going to do the things you been talking about doing we would just as soon you stay out of the way and let the good men and women around the mountain area and foothills take care of our own, because you are nothing more than a boat anchor.”On Friday, Wright said he wasn’t going to apologize for what he said. “So, look, I’m not going to back up, make no apologies for anything I said,” Wright said. “I want the federal government, whoever’s in charge, whether that is Democrat, Republican- who cares? I just want them to be for the American people. And I don’t think that’s what’s going on right now.”Watch video of his response below: Over the weekend a North Carolina man was arrested for allegedly threatening harm against FEMA employees responding to Hurricane Helene, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.William Jacob Parsons, 44, was arrested and charged with going armed to the terror of the public, a misdemeanor.The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said it began investigating Saturday after receiving a call that a man “made the comment about possibly harming FEMA employees working after the disaster of Hurricane Helene in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area.”On Sunday night, Wright posted a response on Facebook about what he calls the “alarming threats directed at FEMA.”“Earlier today, I had a productive conversation with Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg of Rutherford County regarding the alarming threats directed at FEMA personnel in the area. We are taking these threats seriously, and both our offices, along with federal authorities, are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. I want to remind everyone that these agencies, including FEMA, are here to help our communities rebuild after the devastation, and any threats or acts of violence will be met with swift legal action. We will not tolerate such behavior in our community or towards those working to assist us. Thank you to Sheriff Ellenburg and his team for their cooperation, and to all the law enforcement officers who are working tirelessly to protect our community during these challenging times.”Wright said in a video response on the same post that he did not think FEMA was doing the right thing at first but “there is a process to all this and since the last video I put out- it went viral- and I don’t know who heard what but things are getting better now. So FEMA is actually trying to get in order.”He went on to say “You’re not going to bother the federal workers who are up there doing their thing.””Now we don’t always agree on how things are run in the federal government or the state or local county government,” Wright said. “But there is a process for this.”He also said he doesn’t believe there is a militia, but just one guy trying to get some people together. “You will not mess with any of the federal employees at all,” Wright added. “You don’t have to agree with them. You don’t have to like them. You don’t have to talk to them. But you are not going to threaten them and you are certainly not going to impede their work while they are in that devastated area.”Wright said his own deputies stand “at the ready” if Rutherford County needs help. “We’ll come to the mountains and hunt you down,” Wright said. “You will not mess with any of the federal employees at all.”Wright says he believes FEMA “has some things in order now. So good for them.”He said he does believe FEMA should have been more organized at the beginning, but this is a pretty big undertaking that these men and women are having to do. He ended the video saying, “So my message to you is- You will not mess with any of the federal employees. You will not say anything to discourage them. You can bring them water, you can take them food and you can pray for them. But other than that you best not mess with them.”You can watch his video response here.
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright has a message for anyone who wants to threaten FEMA workers in Western North Carolina during Helene recovery efforts – “You best not mess with none of these FEMA people.”
On Sunday night, Wright posted a response on Facebook about what he calls the “alarming threats directed at FEMA.”
(Video above: Chuck Wright on Friday responding to Helene response in Western North Carolina)
Wright has been spending time in the areas hit hardest by Helene and working with Rutherford County Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg on the recovery efforts.
On Friday, WYFF News 4 spoke with Wright after a video of him criticizing some of the federal response to Helene went viral.
Wright said in the now viral video, “If you are going to do the things you been talking about doing we would just as soon you stay out of the way and let the good men and women around the mountain area and foothills take care of our own, because you are nothing more than a boat anchor.”
On Friday, Wright said he wasn’t going to apologize for what he said.
“So, look, I’m not going to back up, make no apologies for anything I said,” Wright said. “I want the federal government, whoever’s in charge, whether that is Democrat, Republican- who cares? I just want them to be for the American people. And I don’t think that’s what’s going on right now.”
Watch video of his response below:
Over the weekend a North Carolina man was arrested for allegedly threatening harm against FEMA employees responding to Hurricane Helene, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
William Jacob Parsons, 44, was arrested and charged with going armed to the terror of the public, a misdemeanor.
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said it began investigating Saturday after receiving a call that a man “made the comment about possibly harming FEMA employees working after the disaster of Hurricane Helene in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area.”
On Sunday night, Wright posted a response on Facebook about what he calls the “alarming threats directed at FEMA.”
“Earlier today, I had a productive conversation with Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg of Rutherford County regarding the alarming threats directed at FEMA personnel in the area. We are taking these threats seriously, and both our offices, along with federal authorities, are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. I want to remind everyone that these agencies, including FEMA, are here to help our communities rebuild after the devastation, and any threats or acts of violence will be met with swift legal action. We will not tolerate such behavior in our community or towards those working to assist us. Thank you to Sheriff Ellenburg and his team for their cooperation, and to all the law enforcement officers who are working tirelessly to protect our community during these challenging times.”
Wright said in a video response on the same post that he did not think FEMA was doing the right thing at first but “there is a process to all this and since the last video I put out- it went viral- and I don’t know who heard what but things are getting better now. So FEMA is actually trying to get in order.”
He went on to say “You’re not going to bother the federal workers who are up there doing their thing.”
“Now we don’t always agree on how things are run in the federal government or the state or local county government,” Wright said. “But there is a process for this.”
He also said he doesn’t believe there is a militia, but just one guy trying to get some people together.
“You will not mess with any of the federal employees at all,” Wright added. “You don’t have to agree with them. You don’t have to like them. You don’t have to talk to them. But you are not going to threaten them and you are certainly not going to impede their work while they are in that devastated area.”
Wright said his own deputies stand “at the ready” if Rutherford County needs help.
“We’ll come to the mountains and hunt you down,” Wright said. “You will not mess with any of the federal employees at all.”
Wright says he believes FEMA “has some things in order now. So good for them.”
He said he does believe FEMA should have been more organized at the beginning, but this is a pretty big undertaking that these men and women are having to do.
He ended the video saying, “So my message to you is- You will not mess with any of the federal employees. You will not say anything to discourage them. You can bring them water, you can take them food and you can pray for them. But other than that you best not mess with them.”
You can watch his video response here.
