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.
There are a number of things that daily amazes me:
How do some of you think that our economy works?
You complain about people taking vacations and do not even notice that while doing this they actually demand and consume goods and services which others supply! That is part of the economy!
Not everybody affected by Sandy lost vacation/second homes: a lot of people lost their only homes and businesses!
Amazingly, people actually live and work along the shores! Just like they did down along the Gulf of Mexico during Katrina! In Florida during various storms!
If nobody wanted to consume anything, either no desire or no money or both, what do you think people will be busy working and doing at?
No demand, no business!!
— EIK- So Katrina response was Bush's fault but Sandy response is Boehner's fault. Meanwhile Obama was on a plane back to Hawaii as soon as he rescued us from the cliff by raising taxes on 77% of us. Christie got "played" by Obama - got him elected and no pay back? I hope Obama blew Christie a kiss as he was getting on his plane back to Hawaii— phillycaster
- $23 million for tree plantings to “help reduce flood effects, protect
water sources, decrease soil erosion and improve wildlife habitat” in
forested areas touched by Sandy.
$2 million to repair roof damage at Smithsonian buildings in Washington that PRE-DATES the storm.
$4 million to repair sand berms and dunes at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
$41 million for clean-up and repairs at eight military bases along the storm’s path, including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The FBI is seeking $4 million to replace “vehicles, laboratory and office equipment and furniture,” while Customs and Border Protection wants $2.4 million to replace “destroyed or damaged vehicles, including mobile X-Ray machines.”
The Small Business Association is seeking a $50 million slice of the pie for its post-storm response efforts, including “Small Business Development Centers and Women’s Business Development Centers.”
$336M for Amtrak.
$150M for fisheries in Alaska and the Gulf Coast
Maybe Christie should get upset with all those that attached the "pork" to his relief bill.— phillycaster - fixing the roofs of the Smithsonian is "pork". it's funny how you guys brag about being anti-intellectual. I would take it as an insult.
- This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- you do realize that the Smithsonian doesn't charge any money because it is our national museum, right? it preserves the very Constitution you revere(though, don't understand). to steal bill atkins's stupid line- you can't make this stuff up.
and to stop you before you post- we have a national museum to preserve our national history like every other country does. we are proud of our country and welcome the world to learn about us just like other countries have a museums in their capital city that is free and teaches the world their history. - highwater...the constitution is an "idea", a philosophy to fairly govern. The fact that you only think of it as a physical collectible in the same vein as a Honus Wagner baseball card proves your total ignorance of it's principles. — Gray Areas
- and yeah I'm a liberal as are a majority who live in the northeast part of the US, where this newspaper services. stick with the Dallas Morning News and stop trolling in liberal Philadelphia. and that goes for the rest of you tea b's.
- AMEN Moretea! Friggin Liberals are like children when it comes to understanding the basics of revenue and expenses. You should have to put in at least 5 years in private industry before you can take a job with any government agency. — Gray Areas
- Waiting for him to turn Dem, then I'll vote for him— linuxdood
- There is a great deal of pork' in the 60 Billion, for example, where does money going to Alaska and Pennsylvania fit? Christie is complaining as he does what all congress does, fill a bill with irrelevant 'pork'.— charleycarey
- trouble in paradise? take the money from poor kids so they don't eat and all will be forgiven.
- There's already been $60 billion allocated and 2/3 hasn't been spent. So why the rush on a pork laden bill? Christie is out of line on this.— theodotius
- Put a pizza in his mouth to shut him up!
- I love watching the conservatives club each other over the head with a dumb stick!
Dopes, no change....except for Christie!— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
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.
