Posted on 02/14/2009 11:38:08 AM PST by shielagolden
Henrietta Hughes says she's not milking the system
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA - A woman making national headlines after a tearful moment with President Obama has a new home.
Thursday morning, Chene Thompson handed Henrietta Hughes the keys to her home in Hendry County. Thompson is the wife of State Representative Nick Thompson (R-District 73). Hughes and her son will live at the home rent free.
At President Obama's town hall meeting in Fort Myers on Tuesday, Henrietta Hughes stood up and told the President she has been homeless since 2003 and can't find a job.
She also says she's reach a dead end with government assistance and none of the local charity agencies will help.
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. She stands by her story.
Henrietta Hughes says she's never taken advantage of the system and doesn't choose to be homeless. Like other programs she's tried to get help from,she says We Care couldn't meet her needs.
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. This is after Henrietta and her son lost thier home in 2003 and started living in their car. 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.
"They have nothing today. They need help today. They didn't need help in 2005. They need help today. So whether they had $47,000 or $147,000 in 2005, it doesn't matter. They don't have any money today," she said.
The Thompson's say they are sad Henrietta has to defend herself against these allegations and they will continue to help her. They also hope it doesn't deter other people from helping.
Just think ACORN
Did they help the guy get more benefits from McDonald’s too?
Another welfare scammer.
These are the types who will get the government largesse from the Obama Stimulus Package.
The whole crowd at that 0 fest were some kind of looser or another. What about the guy who got laid off from a $3K per month job and was only getting $1K per month in unemployment but wanted it to be $3K just like the job he was laid off from.
I don’t understand the Republican Rep and his wife being taken in by this scam.
There are houses on www.realtor.com about the same amount..in many areas of country....OH well.
It also makes you wonder if she was a plant, by looking at timeline. Wonder how they lived in NYC, or if there is connection to dems who needed someone to appeal to O at the meeting?? She turned down a ministry in Fla who offered to help her. It’s suspicious to me.
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/11/a-henrietta-hughes-flashback/
It appears the economic downturn is NOT the reason Henrietta and Corey Hughes are having problems, as Michelle Malkin’s article shows otherwise. I suspect mental illness, because it would explain a lot of why he has trouble holding a job.
You hit the nail on the head. People will be both personally and governmentally compassionate for those truly in need and that is why Hughes and her son, as more and more facts come out, are becoming the poster childs for the dysfunctional welfare state.
Let’s see... Is Henrietta and/or her son going to declare the $8,000 “gift” of free residential living (whatever the value is) on their “income taxes”?
Will the woman and her State Representative Husband declare this as “charitable giving” on their income taxes, getting a break from Uncle Sam?
Will Timothy Geithner claim these two as “dependents” in his late filing of taxes next year?
Just wondering.
Heck, there’s 60+ 2 bedroom condos for sale in Las Vegas for under $35,000. And that place is ALWAYS hiring entry level workers. One of the cheapest places to live!
New home, monthly costs (including food - if you eat wisely at the casinos) of under $300 per month. And you bet you can find a job that will pay $10-$12/hour without much trouble at all...
Dear Big O.
I need a $125,000 for an around the world cruise, as I have never had one.
PS don’t forget the tip money
Yup. The one in New Orleans who was 58 years old had lived in public housing for 57 years. She called you and me names for not helping her because she was Black.
I do hope the day of reckoning is arriving.
That guy really made me sick..He has obviously never learned “save for a rainy day”. That what a rainy day fund is for! He probably spent all he made, and now expects the taxpayers to pony up the rainy day fund.
Clear your mind, take a deep breath......and let it go. sigh.
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/more-background-on-henrietta-hughes
the comments section has some info too
evidently, she (and her son) bought 3 lots (2 adjacent and one that was 2 lots away) - the lots seem to cost about $47,000 each
she got a loan to build a house for about $150,000 on one of the lots and about that time sold one of the lots
$800 was paid on the house loan over a period of time - the house was foreclosed (abandoned)
on the remaining lot, a quit claim deed was filed to transfer ownership to her son (get her name off the deed)
exotic mutants grown in the hothouse of the welfare state BUMP
you forgot boyfriends...........
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