Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is conserving the door open to conditioning California catastrophe help on the state enacting voter identification legal guidelines, days after President Trump mentioned he wished to hyperlink the 2 priorities.
The feedback from Johnson got here throughout a press convention at Trump Nationwide Doral in Miami on Monday, which served because the kickoff occasion for the Home GOP’s annual retreat. Requested if linking voter ID to California catastrophe help was a “red line,” Johnson stopped quick, however he signaled he was open to combining the 2 issues.
“We’ve got to work out the details of that,” Johnson mentioned. “I have not spoken to the president about that issue since he said that. He’ll be here tonight, of course, for dinner with us, and that’s one of the topics of discussion.”
The Speaker went on to lament California’s monitor document of counting ballots at a slower tempo than different states. A handful of Home races within the Golden State had been the final elections to be known as in November. He additionally raised considerations with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) management and the way the state dealt with the latest wildfires which have devastated the Los Angeles space. Newsom has been a frequent goal of Trump because the fires broke out.
“We’ve talked about conditioning the aid that will go there, to policy changes. I think that is a common-sense notion that is supported by the vast majority of the American people who do not want to subsidize crazy California leftist policies that are dangerous for people,” Johnson mentioned.
“Now what the terms are and the details of that, we will be working out,” he added. “But entwined about all that is the concern about election security in California, and voter ID is a matter that, again, comports with common sense, that most American people see the value in. And it will be something we’ll be trying to advance.”
Trump, throughout a go to to North Carolina to tour hurricane restoration efforts over the weekend, mentioned he wished to situation catastrophe help for California on voter ID being enacted and water being launched within the state.
“I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump mentioned. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.”
Johnson beforehand known as for putting different circumstances on California hearth help, however doing so would be sure you complicate the method for sending the state help. Lawmakers in each events have expressed opposition to putting any circumstances on such a package deal.
High Home Democrats have outright mentioned the caucus won’t assist circumstances on catastrophe help.
“Right now, what we need in California is federal aid as soon as possible. Worry about those, whatever the conditions or whatever, later. Right now it’s not time to play politics here,” Rep. Younger Kim (R-Calif.) advised The Hill earlier this week. “Just get us the support that we need.”
The early GOP opposition is a regarding signal for Johnson as a result of he’ll want close to unanimity from Republicans to get California aid-plus-conditions handed within the slim Home GOP majority.
The dialogue over California catastrophe help isn’t the primary time Trump has demanded voter ID legal guidelines be linked to a legislative effort. Final 12 months, he known as on Republicans to pair a invoice requiring proof of citizenship to vote — titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — with a September stopgap measure to maintain the federal government open.
Heeding these calls, Johnson put a six-month stopgap that included the SAVE Act on the ground, however it didn’t clear the chamber after 14 Republicans and all however three Democrats voted towards the laws. The group of GOP opposition included hard-liners who had been towards using a unbroken decision, and protection hawks involved concerning the affect the six-month timeline would have on the Pentagon.
Johnson in the end put a bipartisan, bicameral negotiated persevering with decision on the ground that didn’t embody the SAVE Act, which cleared each chambers with bipartisan assist and was signed by then-President Biden to avert a authorities shutdown.
