Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., doesn't have time for the left's agenda-serving claims of Hurricane Ian being the creation of climate change, even though Florida has a long history of enduring major hurricanes and tropical storms.
CNN anchor Don Lemon's attributing Ian's Category 5 potential to climate change is "just another example of the left putting politics over people," Cammack told Newsmax Wednesday afternoon, while appearing on "Spicer & Co." with hosts Sean Spicer and Lyndsay Keith. Ian later made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.
"We're staring down the barrel of a Cat 5 storm," said Cammack, who oversees the 3rd Congressional District, covering a large swath of land in parts of central Florida and along the Gulf Coast. "To start the climate change debate now is just ridiculous."
Earlier this week, Cammack visited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's headquarters; and while there, the congresswoman didn't catch the atmospheric and weather experts lamenting topics such as climate change.
Rather, NOAA officials were squarely focused on coordinating hurricane responses at the federal, state and local levels, along with supplying the "people with the information to make their best decisions," in terms of waiting out or evacuating the storm altogether.
And right now, Cammack reveals there are tangible concerns, among Florida officials and residents, of loss of life and significant property damage.
"Southwest Florida's getting a direct hit," said Cammack, while adding the state has already been "saturated" with 48 inches of rainfall in 2022.
"There's nowhere for this water to go," said Cammack, who said she was anticipating 5-foot surges with beach walls and approximately 24 inches of rainfall over the next 24 hours.
"That flooding will be the real danger here," said Cammack, with an eye toward major cities like Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville collecting heavy rainfall and absorbing major property damage. "The real work begins the moment this storm passes."
Rep. Carlos Giménez, R-Fla., joined Cammack in the Newsmax interview; and he marveled at the resiliency of Florida's western coast, saying, "That area's going to take the brunt of the storm."
Even if Hurricane Ian loses some steam upon landfall, Giménez cautioned the storm will still "dump a heck of a lot of rain in the center of the state."
As part of that, Giménez said he fears that many homes and cars will be submerged underwater. "The destruction from 155 mph winds is incredible."
Giménez praised the preparation work of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in terms of getting the state ready for all disaster contingencies.
However, even with good, resourceful leadership, Florida residents still "got to hunker down and ride [the storm] out," said Giménez.
As the former mayor of Miami (2011-20), Giménez said that even the most self-sufficient of storm riders need "about three days' worth of food, water and supplies" to flourish during and after the hurricane.
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.