When asked about public anger over the state's response to the devastating wildfires that hit Los Angeles, California Gov. Gavin Newsom dodged responsibility and instead said local leaders should be well-informed. He claimed not to have done so.
Democratic leaders have repeatedly claimed that the proliferation of information and “blame” amid the ongoing tragedy has made it nearly impossible to get “direct answers” about what went wrong.
“So, I'm the governor of California, so I want to know the answer. I don't know how many people ask me, 'What happened?' “On my team, I'm like, 'What happened?'” he said.
“Frankly, we didn't have a clear answer,” Newsom said during an appearance on the podcast “Pod Save America.” It was released on Saturday.
Co-host Jon Favreau said many Angelino residents were “very angry” about the state's response to the fires and called on the governor to respond to the state's decisions as “ultimately responsible.” Ta.
The governor has been heavily criticized after reports revealed that he cut more than $100 million in funding earmarked for wildfire relief this fiscal year.
Newsom said he was getting “different answers” from local leaders.
“We had our team start talking to local leaders and saying, 'What is going on?'” Newsom said.
“If I start getting different answers, then I don't understand the real story.”
Newsom acknowledged that the state may have been slow to respond to the devastating wildfires, but insisted that a “dispassionate” assessment won't be possible until the fires are contained.
Instead, he boasted that the state secured dozens of helicopters and pre-positioned engines, personnel, bulldozers and more in six counties over the weekend in preparation for Santa Ana's dry and strong winds.
He also blamed Donald Trump, who earlier this week accused Newsom of not doing a “good job” in responding to the crisis, and said California had decided to use seawater to extinguish fires due to concerns about the impact. He claimed that there was no such thing. marine life.
“It's a word. It's a salad. It's a mist shape and substance. It's a finished product. It's a delusion, and it's something President Trump has been consistently saying for years and years, and it's something that's been said within the right wing. It's been reinforced over and over again,” Newsom told Favreau, adding that President Trump is “just adding tremendous humiliation and misinformation to this crisis.” It's a harmful method. ”
As of Saturday, wildfires in Southern California had claimed at least 13 lives.
At least 153,000 Southern California residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to rage in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas.
