Houston Officials Downplay Threats From Storm - Face Lawsuit? Conspiracy?

I came across this today.

On Aug 24:


A Houston-area woman set off a firestorm in the hours leading up to Hurricane Harvey’s landfall when she wrote on social media that local officials and the mainstream media were misleading the public about the severity of the incoming storm.

Resident Rebecca Reisig said the Houston City Council knew Hurricane Harvey was expected to do far greater damage than was being reported to the public.

Her post:

"Hey guys, I’m not trying to start a panic, but as some of you know, I work for a law firm here downtown. One of the lawyers I work with has a friend on the Houston City Council. The news is not telling the whole truth. The storm is expected to be three times worse than what the news is saying because they don’t want a panic on the freeways like Hurricane Rita. The City Council and Harris County Flood Control had an emergency meeting this morning. Evertything sound of Katy is predicted to be devastated. They’re predicting 50 inches of rain, not 24 like the news is saying, and 100,000 homes destroyed. Theyre expecting all of Houston to be without power for three days. If you guys live in a flood zone, you need to get out of Houston or try to stay with someone further north of Houston. I hope they’re wrong, but that is the latest I’ve heard from what the news isn’t telling you. Stay safe everyone."

Ms. Reisig’s post went viral and generated so much controversy that high-ranking Houston politicians and regional media outlets were forced to address it, ordering citizens to ignore it as ‘fake news’ and directing them to only pay attention to government warnings and ‘reputable’ media outlets.

“Harris County officials are batting down false information making the rounds from a Sugar Land lawyer, warning people not to fall for online hysteria,” reported the Houston Chronicle on August 25. “The false information, in an email from the address of lawyer Ross Bale, indicated officials believed the approaching Hurricane Harvey could be far more devastating than first estimated.”

I saw more posts from local news outlets showing her post with a big FALSE banner across it. Well...looks like it's not so false now, eh?

Article continues:

But now, as Hurricane Harvey has sunk Houston under nearly 50 inches of rainfall, posts mocking Reisig are disappearing, being replaced by users thanking and vindicating her, asking her to re-activate her profile, and excoriating the #FakeNews media and government for participating in the extensive destruction of America’s fourth largest city and mounting death toll.

Last Edited by Rose8 on 08/28/2017 03:14 PM