Bad blood lingers in GOP as Congress ponders Harvey relief

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Republicans from New York and New Jersey are pledging unconditional support for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey. But their resentment lingers.

As historic floods wreaked havoc across the Gulf Coast, Northeastern Republicans recalled with painful detail the days after Superstorm Sandy ravaged their region in 2012.

At the time, Texas’ Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, overwhelmingly opposed a disaster relief package they argued was packed with wasteful spending.

The debate delayed the passage of the Sandy relief package by several weeks.

“It was cruel, it was vicious, and something that I’ll never forget,” Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He said Texas Republicans held up the 2012 bill as part of “a political ploy against the Northeast.”

“Having said that,” King added, “I don’t want the people of Texas to suffer.”

King’s comments were representative of several New York and New Jersey Republicans interviewed by the AP who said they were still angry, but would not employ the tactics of their Texas colleagues as Congress awaits an expected Trump administration request for billions of dollars of assistance.