‘Utterly irresponsible’: Harris slams DeSantis for blowing off hurricane phone call
Erik De La Garza
October 7, 2024
Kamala Harris live.staticflickr.com
Ripping Ron DeSantis as “selfish” and “utterly irresponsible,” Vice President Kamala Harris blamed political "gamesmanship" after reports emerged that the Florida governor has blown off her phone calls as Hurricane Milton churns in the Gulf of Mexico and takes aim at the Sunshine state.
“People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games at this moment in these crisis situations… it is utterly irresponsible, and it is selfish and it is about political gamesmanship instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do, which is to put the people first.”
The comments came Monday afternoon outside Joint Base Andrews in response to a reporter's question about media reports surrounding DeSantis’ refusal to take Harris’ call offering assistance for the monster storm which intensified to Category 5 strength.
One DeSantis aide who spoke with NBC said that they did not want to take Harris's calls because they “seemed political.”
Harris dismissed those accusations Monday.
“Moments of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader…puts politics aside and puts people first,” Harris told reporters.
The Democratic presidential nominee later slammed her opponent, former President Donald Trump, as “extraordinarily irresponsible” for spreading misinformation surrounding the hurricane.
Hurricane Milton is expected to leave a devastate Florida’s coast.
“I’d call this a Category 5 plus,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers told viewers.
'We didn’t answer': DeSantis aide admits gov. is blowing off Harris' hurricane phone calls
Brad Reed
October 7, 2024
Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris looks on during her campaign event, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 13, 2024. REUTERS/Quinn Glabicki
Vice President Kamala Harris has been reaching out to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as yet another hurricane is barreling toward his state.
However, NBC News reports that DeSantis has been blowing off her calls.
One DeSantis aide who spoke with NBC said that they did not want to take Harris's calls because they "seemed political."
"Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn't answer," the aide added.
The aide also said they had no knowledge of DeSantis talking with President Joe Biden, who reached out to the Florida governor last week without success.
DeSantis has, however, been talking directly with Federal Emergency Management Director Deanne Criswell.
ALSO READ: 'Tough spot': Investigation finds Trump's 'prized possession' sinking in massive debt
DeSantis' apparent reluctance to speak with Harris comes at a time when former President Donald Trump has been lobbing multiple false claims at the Biden administration for its handling of Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread devastation throughout the Southeastern United States more than a week ago.
Among other things, Trump falsely claimed that Biden had refused to talk with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp despite the fact that Kemp confirmed that he had personally spoken with Biden.
DeSantis Defends His Refusal To Take Kamala Harris's Phone Calls About Hurricanes Helene And Milton
Harris camp hits GOP lawmakers with brutal fact check as they claim FEMA not doing enough
Matthew Chapman
Matthew Chapman
RAW STORY
October 7, 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia in Tampa, Florida in July 2022 (Gage Skidmore)
Republicans, driven by former President Donald Trump, have pushed unfounded claims for days that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been absent on the ground in states devastated by Hurricane Helene, like North Carolina — and even asserted that the Biden administration raided FEMA's budget to shelter immigrants and denied relief to areas that vote Republican, none of which is true.
On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign hit back with a lengthy thread on X, tallying up many Republicans making a false claim that FEMA is offering $750 per person in disaster areas, and reminding the GOP that not only is FEMA doing its job, a great many Republicans — including some whose states were affected by the disaster — voted against the funding that is letting FEMA do so.
For instance, the @HarrisHQ account juxtaposed the complaint by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who said, "Not only are Hurricane Helene victims only given an insulting measly $750 and being left stranded, the U.S. government is giving $1 BILLION to Ukraine every single month to fund the Ukrainian government."
Greene, wrote @HarrisHQ, "voted against FEMA funding two weeks ago."
Other Republicans making similar complaints who also voted against FEMA funding include Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Mike Collins and Andrew Clyde (R-GA), and Byron Donalds (R-FL).
Hurricane Helene tore a path of destruction through northern Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, particularly devastating the city of Asheville, North Carolina, which was virtually cut off from the outside world by damage to surrounding highways.
Before the communities can start rebuilding, another potentially lethal storm, Hurricane Milton, is bearing down on Florida from inside the Gulf of Mexico.
October 7, 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia in Tampa, Florida in July 2022 (Gage Skidmore)
Republicans, driven by former President Donald Trump, have pushed unfounded claims for days that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been absent on the ground in states devastated by Hurricane Helene, like North Carolina — and even asserted that the Biden administration raided FEMA's budget to shelter immigrants and denied relief to areas that vote Republican, none of which is true.
On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign hit back with a lengthy thread on X, tallying up many Republicans making a false claim that FEMA is offering $750 per person in disaster areas, and reminding the GOP that not only is FEMA doing its job, a great many Republicans — including some whose states were affected by the disaster — voted against the funding that is letting FEMA do so.
For instance, the @HarrisHQ account juxtaposed the complaint by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who said, "Not only are Hurricane Helene victims only given an insulting measly $750 and being left stranded, the U.S. government is giving $1 BILLION to Ukraine every single month to fund the Ukrainian government."
Greene, wrote @HarrisHQ, "voted against FEMA funding two weeks ago."
Other Republicans making similar complaints who also voted against FEMA funding include Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Mike Collins and Andrew Clyde (R-GA), and Byron Donalds (R-FL).
Hurricane Helene tore a path of destruction through northern Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, particularly devastating the city of Asheville, North Carolina, which was virtually cut off from the outside world by damage to surrounding highways.
Before the communities can start rebuilding, another potentially lethal storm, Hurricane Milton, is bearing down on Florida from inside the Gulf of Mexico.
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