With the Federal Emergency Management Agency reeling from major staffing and funding shortages amid the impact of Hurricane Helene, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) refused on Sunday to commit to reconvening the House before Election Day to aid recovery efforts. In response to a letter from President Biden urging congressional leaders back to replenish federal disaster loan funding, Johnson said during a Fox News Sunday interview that he’d only do so after the election—all but ensuring the funds will run out.

  • fuckingkangaroos@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    2 months ago

    I think Desantis and the phone call thing is mostly political theatre. She wants to look presidential. It’s understandable she wants to pursue this “opportunity,” but she’s just VP. Not a key role in this kind of thing.

    But Johnson refusing to fund disaster response is intended to prevent the Biden-Harris admin from doing it’s job and helping people in desperate situations. That’s fucked.

    • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      21
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      These sorts of phone calls are common, though. Desantis isn’t picking up Biden’s phone call either, and he isn’t running.

        • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          2 months ago

          Apparently this call happened Monday evening per the Miami Herald, after a lot of the criticism had been made.

    • frezik@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      Having direct continuity with the next President is useful. There’s some plausible arguments (though by no means a slam dunk) that the delay in transition after the 2000 election left the Bush Admin unprepared and led to 9/11.

    • madjo@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      2 months ago

      Had trump called, desantis would have wet himself in supplication.