Just hours after praising the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work in apprehending a man suspected of starting what eventually became the Palisades Fire, Gavin Newsom called out President Donald Trump and Congress for not providing enough federal disaster aid to those impacted.
“We need to call out why the President of the United States and Congress has refused to provide relief to those victimized by this arsonist,” Newsom said at an afternoon news conference. “Thirty-nine billion dollars — for months — and the President has said nothing. The Speaker of the House has said he’s not interested in helping the American people that were devastated here in Los Angeles.”
The governor repeatedly said that he had received “not a word” on the aid from Trump or Johnson.
Newsom’s diatribe may perplex those who recall that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency led Phase 1 of the rebuilding process, removing household hazardous materials from destroyed and damaged structures. What’s more, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers executed Phase 2 of the wildfire-debris removal effort, which consisted of clearing fire-damaged properties of hazardous ash and debris.
In March, his office trumpeted $2B in “Federal assistance to eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses, in the form of FEMA grants and low-interest SBA Disaster Loans.” That came after Trump met with Newsom and promised “a fire fix” for scorched areas of L.A.
What Newsom seemed to be referring to today was the $40B he requested from Congress in February. That money was meant to cover housing costs and infrastructure, economic development grants, low-interest loans, grants to dislocated workers, unemployment assistance, brush clearance, forest management and low-income housing tax credits. None of it has apparently been forthcoming. Newsom says he just wants the same treatment that other, more Red-leaning states have received.
“I was proud, as a taxpayer, to have Speaker Johnson’s back when his district [which includes much of western Louisiana] was devastated. I said the same thing to [Texas] Governor Abbott as we sent him personnel in support — because he needed it, given the devastation of the flood. Not a word from the Republican rave. Not a word from Speaker Johnson. Not a word from the President.”
In a post to his personal Twitter account, Newsom later took a shot at the president’s penchant for pricey capital outlays to extravagant ends. “He is abandoning Americans while building ballrooms and decorating his office gold. It’s disgusting and disqualifying.”
About the Author
