Angry Christie slams Boehner for abandoning Sandy victims
Citing "selfishness" and "duplicity," an angry and frustrated Gov. Christie blamed a fellow Republican, House Speaker John Boehner, for withholding $60 billion in aid for Sandy victims. "Last night politics was placed before our oath to serve our citizens," Christie said at news conference carried live on CNN. "For me it was disappointing and disgusting to watch." Christie said he was assured that the House of Representatives would vote on the Sandy aid package before the current Congress adjourns. But at 11:20 pm last night, he was told Boehner pulled the bill without explanation, and then Boehner wouldn't take Christie's four follow-up phone calls.
Angry Christie slams Boehner for abandoning Sandy victims
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
Full story in Thursday's paper, here.
TRENTON – Citing “selfishness” and “duplicity,” an angry and frustrated Gov. Christie blamed a fellow Republican, House Speaker John Boehner, for withholding $60 billion in aid for Sandy victims.
“Last night politics was placed before our oath to serve our citizens,” Christie said at news conference carried live on CNN. “For me it was disappointing and disgusting to watch.”
Minutes after Christie wrapped up his remarks, which dominated cable news and trended on Twitter, House Republicans said votes on Sandy aid would be held by Jan. 15. Two votes may be held, with the first coming this Friday for $9 billion in flood relief.
But Christie had been assured that the House of Representatives would vote on the Sandy aid package before the current Congress adjourns tomorrow. The Senate, with bipartisan support, had already approved it. Then, at 11:20 last night, he was told Boehner pulled the bill without explanation.
So Christie called Boehner. He called four times. But the highest-ranked Republican in the country wouldn't take the governor's calls.
Christie began his remarks this afternoon by listing the amount of time it took Congress to send aid to victims of other natural disasters – like 10 days for Hurricane Katrina. By contrast, it's been 66 days since Sandy damaged or destroyed 346,000 New Jersey homes and housing units, and sent more than 7,000 people to shelters.
"Sixty-six days and counting: Shame on you, shame on Congress," Christie said. Congress showed “callous indifference to the suffering of the people of my state.”
And while the governor praised the Republican leadership’s No. 2 in the House, U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (R., Va.), he laid the blame, specifically and squarely, on Boehner.
“The speaker’s irresponsible action in not moving on anything at least appears, from the information I’ve been given, will leave the flood insurance program broke by the end of next week,” Christie said.
Christie spoke with Boehner this morning, he said, and was told that the speaker would meet with New Jersey congressmen today. Christie didn’t disclose any more of their conversation, and he said he wasn’t sure what caused the last-minute tabling of the bill, but he indicated a power struggle -- "palace intrigue" -- between Boehner and Cantor may have been the cause.
“On a political chessboard of internal palace intrigue and politics our people were played last night as a pawn, and that's why people hate Washington DC, that's why people hate this politics," he said. "Last night it was my party responsible."
Christie dismissed my suggestion that the failure to bring the spending bill up for a vote had something to do with the right wing of his party, embodied by the anti-spending tea party, which since the 2010 GOP takeover of the House has wielded considerable sway among Republicans.
“No, no, no, no, no no no," he said. "I'm telling you, Matt, it's internal politics."
Later, he added: "If one set of Republicans was trying to prove something to another set of Republicans, I hope they proved it."
Christie fell short of calling for Republicans to withhold donations from the House GOP, as one Republican congressman from New York has suggested, but he said: “Certainly at the moment I wouldn’t be looking to do much for House leadership.” He also threatened to campaign against incumbent House Republicans who played a part.
“Primaries are an ugly thing,” he said.
But, "tomorrow's a new day, and he can prove to me that he really cares about the people of New York and New Jersey and get this done," Christie said.
why not post some details of what's in the bill, so that your readers can make informed decisions about what is really going on...christie criticizing gop leadership is not the story here.— mayfair_- Because that would pull the curtain back on the stupidity that is 0bama and the fools in the media that get on their knees for him every chance they get.
They backed the wrong horse and have no way of getting out of it. Look for more of the same for the next four years.— mephisto - “There is only one group to blame,the House Majority and John Boehner.”
“Last night, the House Majority failed most the basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state.”
“It was disappointing and disgusting to watch.”
Someone tell Christie this is the GOP's history since the Civil Rights Act. I can't name an instance when the GOP was ever about helping the American people.
Since Nixon all of their friends have become out enemies. Iran. Nixon wanted to give them nuclear weapons. Reagan. Sold Weapons to Iran, Iraq and considered Bin Laden a freedom fighter. Bush II Kadaffi.
When the GOP is in the WH they do everything in their power to destroy our country. See the 11 trillion of debt and all the dead bodies under Bush.
When The GOP is out of the WH they are the biggest threat to the country.
They had the nerve to Impeach Clinton while doing everything they could while Obama is in power to stop us from getting our of the depression they left us in.
With friends like the GOP Americans have all the enemies we need.
The amazing thing is that their are millions of people in this country who actually vote for the traitors.
If you voted Republican and live in NJ and NY your insane. All the tax dollars that are taken from these two states go to the red welfare states. I bet if this happened in those red states your welfare cousins from the south would have got their money.
— Bush Destroyed America - LoL..that's a funny statement coming from a person that appears to support an Administration that has:
1) Attacked the Bill of Rights at every turn,
2) Increased the national debt over $5 TRILLION, and
3) Has subjected the US to the largest loss of jobs since FDR.
GOP isn't the enemy...the Central Bank, liberal democrats and RINOs are.— Professor1982 - freedom to assemble- otherwise known as the 1st amendment is under attack by republicans. you know- assemble and form a UNION to protect worker interests.
what kind of insane pretzel logic comes up with any of these reasons? mind boggling. FDR lost jobs? go away with this quality of comment. it goes beyond partisan to straight up Glenn Beck crackpot quality. check yourself into a hospital for a psychological evaluation before you go off and innocent people suffer. - Why should the whole country subsidize the choices of those who decide to live at the shore?— RG
- I want my pork sandwich and I want it now.— CD75
- Looks like Christie is a RINO. Republican In Name Only. Maybe he does have a future.— neddyflanders
- Wow, moretea4me, the shore-going, lazy working public is the problem. If you and your tea party pals could just find a way to place them in chains this would all be fine. Now you know why the "tea party" is doomed. You manage to insult most of the people in the nation. Yeah, let's outlaw vacation and make 'em work 24X7. BTW, watch out, Chris Christie. The tea party will now be calling you a RINO and seeking to unseat you for someone who does not care a whit about people, their dream-come-true.— Philly Born
- This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- take a vacation, moretea4me(whatever that means) you sound like you need it. your mommy and daddy love you and think you should stop "acting out" and calling all those nice people names. daddy already loves you so you don't need to sacrifice yourself to prove yourself to him.
US worker gets so much less vacation time than the rest of the world your comment is laughable. - This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- Italy 42 days
France 37 days
Germany 35 days
Brazil 34 days
United Kingdom 28 days
Canada 26 days
Korea 25 days
Japan 25 days
U.S. 13 days
Paid Vacation Around the World — quick google search. can't figure out whose the bigger idiot? you or me for trying to reason with utter lack of information. enough with you, time to get back to work.
I'm ruining the country but you don't know the significance of the Smithsonian? this, children, is an example of Situational irony. - Highwater...you just proved what moretea was educating you on with your chart. And AGAIN with the "building" that houses a piece of paper...the piece of paper in that building is value-less to code-less dopes like you who look at it but can't comprehend it. — Gray Areas
- I've enjoyed Rep. John King trying to pretend he never blew his stack at his bosses. "Yes, sir, I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again sir..." Quite a man he is, pairless if you know what I mean.
Hopefully Christie is made of stronger stuff.— carl and sons
Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00. Reach Matt at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
