From WINK News - and I want to repeat something - this woman isn't the problem and doesn't deserve to be demeaned. But she is not the "face of an economic crisis." She is the face of a culture of entitlement that must be dealt with for America to remain as free and as strong as she has traditionally been. Those are the choices here. Henrietta Hughes' personal choices are not pertinent to that discussion, except to the extent they help inform the larger issues at hand. People have already offered or given Hughes more than an Obama or even a previous Bush government should ever do. That is, unless you believe that everyone's personal wealth is something for the state to distribute as it sees fit, even more so than they already do.
State Representative Nick Thompson and his wife Chene are standing by the Henrietta and her son, Corey. They spoke out against the allegations Henrietta is milking the system, even when confronted with the fact WINK News found out the Hughes' sold property, back in 2005. Henrietta and her son sold the land for $47,000 dollars. But Chene Thompson says that was all the money they had for several years and it's gone.
However, a local organization is coming forward saying Hughes isn't being honest about how much help she's had in the past.
The director of We Care Outreach Ministry, Tanya Johnson, says just last month she offered Henrietta Hughes permanent housing and a place to stay free for three months, but Hughes refused.
"We would have allowed her to stay for the first 90 days, no income. You know free," said Tanya Johnson.
We Care Outreach Ministry is a faith based organization in Fort Myers.
Johnson says she also gave Henrietta and her son Corey, money, food and offered Corey job training courses, but it was refused.
"We have extended a lot of her services to her," Johnson said.
But Henrietta Hughes says these services weren't free and the apartment in East Fort Myers came with a price tag.
Hughes says Tanya Johnson wanted $400 a month immediately.
The disability check Hughes gets is a little more than $800 a month.
Hughes owes money on a loan, has her car insurance payment, a monthly storage bill and says she couldn't afford the rent.
"Where was I going to get $400 a month to give her if I got these expenses," Hughes told WINK News.
WINK News Reporter Nick Spinetto went back to talk to Tanya Johnson and she stands by her story.
This story smells.
Posted by: nina | Friday, February 13, 2009 at 01:26 PM
The big question should be: What kind of countertops did Hughes once have? How dare this woman claim to be on hard times. We know that NEVER happens. Sic her!
Posted by: Theresa | Saturday, February 14, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Will this be yet another Joe The Plumber episode? Maybe the DNC didn't do such a great vetting job before they invited her to the Obamameet and escorted her to speak.
Posted by: True_Liberal | Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 09:56 AM
This episode is nothing more than sticking ringers in the crowd who are then picked as planned and then spout the party line of the Obama party. This was nothing more than a setup from the off to help the chosen one lure the unsuspecting populace into his ring.
Posted by: Mitch | Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Hughes says Tanya Johnson wanted $400 a month immediately.
$100 a week for rent?
I'm Australian -- I paid AU$90 a week to rent a tiny single room -- four years ago, when I was single and studying at university.
Ms. Hughes could be my guest to try and find for US$100 an apartment in any Australian city of her choice.
Posted by: Mandible Claw | Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 10:43 AM