White House is restricting lawmakers from visiting Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, aides say
Source: Washington Post
White House is restricting lawmakers from visiting Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, aides say
By Ed O'Keefe September 27 at 12:44 PM
The Trump administration is restricting lawmakers in both parties from visiting storm-ravaged Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands aboard military aircraft this weekend in order to keep focused on recovery missions there, according to multiple congressional aides. ... The decision comes as the Pentagon is intensifying its relief efforts on the islands as the U.S. government struggles to respond to devastation caused last week by Hurricane Maria and earlier by Hurricane Irma.
{Dear Government: Send in troops to Puerto Rico. This catastrophe demands it.}
Multiple attempts have been underway in recent days for members of both parties to travel to Puerto Rico aboard military aircraft. Once there, they would have met with officials with the military and Federal Emergency Management Agency responsible for ongoing missions on the ground.
At least 10 members of the House and Senate were hoping to go this Friday, according to two aides. Another trip of senators and House lawmakers would have gone on Sunday, said the aides, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the planning. ... But since Monday evening, permission to use military aircraft to make the trips has been denied by the White House and Pentagon, the aides said. One Republican aide familiar with the back-and-forth said that the administration and military officials had indicated that they need resources for rescue and recovery, thus member travel will be restricted.
Trump said at a news conference on Monday that he would be traveling to Puerto Rico next Tuesday and may also visit the U.S. Virgin Islands, adding that he was told that is the earliest day he could do so without hampering ongoing relief missions.
....
Ed O’Keefe is a congressional reporter who has covered congressional and presidential politics since 2008. He previously covered federal agencies, the federal workforce and spent a brief time covering the war in Iraq. Follow @edatpost. Follow @edatpost
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/09/27/white-house-restricting-lawmakers-from-visiting-puerto-rico-u-s-virgin-islands-aides-say/
Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold
SCOOP: White House is restricting lawmakers from visiting Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, aides say
Link to tweet
* * * * *
= new reply since forum marked as read
his brand & his ego. He's afraid that them going first would steal some of his spotlight. 
From what I've seen, he's way to self absorbed in his (mistaken) perception of his own perfection to think he's failed with Puerto Rico and since his handlers only tell him he's doing a great job and feed him warm fuzzy news and praise he thinks things are going beautifully there.
