House GOP Threatens To Withhold California Disaster Aid

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) suggested withholding federal disaster relief for California during an interview on Fox Business, citing disagreements with the state’s policies as wildfires ravage Los Angeles, HuffPost reported.

Davidson’s comments echo claims made by former President Donald Trump in 2018, who attributed California’s catastrophic Camp Fire to “poor” forest management. I Photo: CAL_FIRE_Official Wikimedia Commons

“If they want the money, then there should be consequences where they have to change their policies,” Davidson said, referencing forest management practices. The Los Angeles wildfires have killed at least 24 people, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and left 57,000 more at risk.

Davidson’s comments echo claims made by former President Donald Trump in 2018, who attributed California’s catastrophic Camp Fire to “poor” forest management. Right-wing media figures have recently repeated similar claims, downplaying the role of climate change in exacerbating wildfires, according to Media Matters for America.