LOUISBURG — North Carolina Gov. Mark Robinson on Wednesday expected to be called a “hero” in the wake of Hurricane Helen, calling the state’s recovery response led by Gov. Roy Cooper “pretty poor,” while touting his own efforts. efforts.
Robinson, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, also said the State House’s vote to grant Cooper emergency powers in which he was the only member not to participate was “insignificant.”
“Our response was to respond to people in need,” Robinson told reporters outside the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. “And that’s exactly what we did. And again, I urge the governor to do more, more National Guardsmen, and allow the energy of private industry to participate.”
Cooper, who will be in western North Carolina again today with President Joe Biden, mobilized the National Guard as well as emergency personnel and requested federal assistance, which was granted. He has led numerous public briefings alongside emergency response officials.
Governor Roy Cooper and DHHS Sec. Cody Kinsley receives an update on Mission Hospital’s recovery efforts from Hurricane Helen. Getting the region’s water systems fully operational is a major concern even as a surge of resources reaches western North Carolina. (Pool photo/Paul Parker)
The lieutenant governor, whose office has no formal storm recovery responsibilities, chose to partner with Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White to deliver supplies to affected areas via special flights.
When asked if his appearance on Wednesday was official or related to the campaign, he said it was a “campaign for relief for the people of North Carolina.” He later said that he was not trying to be a “hero” or a “big personality.”
“The one thing I’ve strived to do is serve the people of this state well,” Robinson said. “Going through this experience now drives home the point, because I can guarantee you that someone, after this is all over, will look at me and say, ‘You know, you’re a hero for what you did.’
“I can guarantee you that someone is going to say that, whether it’s someone I love, whether it’s a voter, whoever it is,” he added. “But I can tell you this, in the words of a World War II soldier, here in North Carolina, I’m not a hero, guys. But I serve in a state full of heroes, and I’ve seen them over the last five days, guys.”
Robinson’s official state office staff and his campaign were present in Louisburg on Wednesday.
The governor’s spokesperson wrote on social media Wednesday that Robinson’s criticisms of the state’s response were “unhelpful” and “potentially put people’s lives at risk.”
“LG’s online disinformation campaign during an unprecedented crisis is unhelpful, causes confusion in areas with limited communications, and potentially puts lives at risk,” wrote Jordan Monaghan, Cooper’s director of communications. “State, federal and local partners are leading a massive, coordinated response to a catastrophic storm.”
Robinson says the missed vote in the State House was “insignificant.”
Cooper requested before Helen that the nine statewide elected officials in the State Assembly approve the state of emergency. WRAL reported Wednesday that Robinson was the only member who did not cast a vote, a decision that former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory told the news station was “inexcusable.”
The measure “would have passed with or without my vote,” Robinson told reporters.
“It was completely unimportant,” Robinson said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Robinson was not present at a virtual State Council meeting on Tuesday.
Biden and federalism’s response “is of little or no consequence to me,” Robinson says.
Robinson wrote on social media Tuesday that the federal government “failed to act” in response to the storm.
“Joe Biden told the people of North Carolina they had no more supply for us,” Robinson wrote.
There is no evidence that Biden said that. FEMA Administrator Deane Criswell was on the ground in western North Carolina, and Biden was scheduled to survey the damage by air with Cooper today.
More than 3,500 federal employees are deployed throughout the areas affected by Helen, according to the White House, and direct assistance is available to help pay for essential items such as food, water and infant formula.
“Ask the people of western North Carolina if Joe Biden’s response has made them worthy of a hill of beans,” Robinson said. “It didn’t happen.”
