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Marjorie Taylor Greene convicted of Helene weather conspiracy theory | Marjorie Taylor Greene


Marjorie Taylor Greene convicted of Helene weather conspiracy theory | Marjorie Taylor Greene

Far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene faces conviction after she made several conspiratorial statements amid the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene that suggested she believed the U.S. government could control the weather.

In a post shared with her 1.2 million X followers last week, the US House representative from Georgia wrote: “Yes, they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for someone to lie and say it’s not possible.”

Greene does not specify who “she” refers to, but she has a history of spreading conspiracy theories surrounding the federal government and other groups.

She appeared to amplify those comments with a post on Saturday in which she shared a clip from a 2013 CBS News broadcast about experimental attempts to create rain and lightning using lasers. “CBS talked about lasers controlling the weather nine years ago,” Greene wrote, apparently confusing the year it aired.

Greene, no stranger to misinformation, including once voicing the idea that Jewish space lasers were behind forest fires, has been heavily criticized for her blatantly false statements.

The U.S. government's top disaster relief official on Sunday condemned false claims about Helene and her relief efforts, saying such conspiracy theories, including those of Donald Trump, who is seeking a second presidency, instill fear and are “demoralizing” among people in need of help “the workers who provide help.

“It’s frankly ridiculous and just plain wrong. “This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people,” said Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It’s really a disgrace that we’re prioritizing politics over helping people, and that’s what we’re here for.”

Shawn Harris, who is running for Greene's congressional seat, condemned the incumbent's comments.

“Marjorie Taylor Greene's conspiracy theories are disgusting, but she's doing it to distract from her failed attempt to block critical funding for Fema when Hurricane Helene made landfall,” Harris wrote in a post on X.

Ryan Maue, a meteorologist and popular internet personality, appeared to mock Greene's comments while simultaneously checking out her false claims.

On

“I would know that too.”

In an email to his supporters, Republican U.S. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina also appeared to condemn conspiracy theories about Hurricane Helene, but did not identify the right-wing source of the theories.

“The destruction caused by Helene is incredible and has left many communities in Western North Carolina completely devastated. The last thing Helene’s victims need right now is political posturing, finger pointing or conspiracy theories that will only harm response efforts,” the email said.

In an opinion piece from its editorial board on Saturday, North Carolina's Charlotte Observer criticized Trump for his falsehoods about the administration's response to Helene, saying the affected parts of the state were “not a political football” and “not a campaign opportunity.”

Criticism of Greene's conspiracy theories even reached the sports world: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova used her platform to denounce not only Greene, but also Trump's running mate in the November election, JD Vance. Vance praised Greene at a rally just hours after she published her conspiracies.

“Marj is even dumber than we thought possible,” Navratilova wrote on

Greene has also faced criticism for her hypocrisy in spreading conspiracy theories about Hurricane Helene when she was photographed with Trump at the University of Alabama's home game against the University of Georgia on September 28. She reportedly left her state of Georgia to attend the game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while Helene wreaked havoc on communities across the state she was elected to represent.

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