Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) believes Congress should withhold disaster relief funding from California until the state makes environmental policy changes in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires. said.
Friday on FOX News exterior“If they want the money, there has to be consequences where they have to change policy,” he said.
Davidson echoed President-elect Trump's sentiments that state leaders are failing to prepare for the large-scale fires that frequently affect the region. However, four more fires spiraled out of control as firefighters ran out of water and manpower to extinguish them.
“So we're helping people suffering from disasters, but we have to put pressure on California's government to reverse course here,” Davidson said of the policies that made the fires “worse.” He blamed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In 2019, Mr. Trump challenged the preparedness of elected officials in tweets alleging Mr. Newsom's mismanagement.
“Governor of California, @GavinNewsomhas done a terrible job of managing forests. I told him from the first day we met that he had to “clean” the forest floor, no matter what his bosses or environmentalists demanded. You’ll have to get burned, you’ll have to cut the fire hydrants,” Trump said. I wrote.
“Every year, the same thing happens, every time the fires rage and California burns up. And he comes to the federal government asking for $$$ in aid. No more. Governor, take action. We don't see this level of burn in other states…but our teams are working well together…,'' a subsequent post read.
More than five years later, the two are still debating the best approach to the wildfires that have killed at least 13 people in the Los Angeles area over the past week.
President Biden has sought to brief federal agencies and has also visited Los Angeles County fire departments.
Newsom and other lawmakers are now urging President Trump, who is preparing to take control of the federal government on January 20, to do the same.
