Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is reportedly refusing to accept calls from Vice President Kamala Harris as hurricanes continue to bring devastation to parts of his state.
According to NBC News, a DeSantis aide said the governor wasn't taking Harris' calls amid the hurricanes because they "seemed political."
“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” the DeSantis aide told the outlet.
The aide's comment comes after Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida's Big Bend region on September 27. As the residents recover from the storm, Hurricane Milton is expected to hit Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday (October 9).
On Monday (October 7), DeSantis denied that he was refusing to accept Harris' call.
"I didn't know that she had called," the governor said during a press conference. "I'm not sure who they called. They didn't call me. Their characterization of it was something that they did. It wasn't anything that anybody in my office did, in terms of saying it was political."
Later that day, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fielded questions on whether politics was seeping into hurricane response.
"That's really for the governor to speak to, right?" Jean-Pierre said.
She said DeSantis declined an invitation from President Joe Biden to survey storm damage.
"It was his decision ... to not attend or not be there with the president. ... It is up to him," Jean-Pierre added. "We are doing our part, in the Biden-Harris administration, working — obviously FEMA is work — is on the ground, all hands on deck, whole of government. Robust approach here. And so, again, that's for Gov. DeSantis to speak to."
Harris also addressed reports of politics affecting hurricane response.
"Moments of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader says they're going to put politics aside and put the people first," the Democratic nominee said. "People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games with this moment in these crisis situations, these are the height of emergency situations, it's just utterly irresponsible and it is selfish."
The White House issued a statement on Monday saying Biden had spoken to DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor about Hurricanes Helene and Milton. DeSantis has also reportedly been in contact with Federal Emergency Management Director Deanne Criswell.
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