Dem lawmaker: ‘The president has it in for California’

A Democratic California congressman says that President Trump has an ax to grind against his state after the Trump administration announced that the Department of Transportation would seek the return of federal funds for a high-speed rail project that California recently announced it would scale back.

Rep. John Garamendi told CNN on Wednesday that the move by the Transportation Department amounted to “payback” for the numerous lawsuits state officials led by Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) have brought against the Trump administration over issues such as immigration and the environment.

{mosads}”Well, of course it’s payback, and it’s not the first time that the president has threatened California,” Garamendi said.

“The president has it in for California,” he continued. “But we’ll just shrug our shoulders and go about doing that we’re doing, which is to create the fifth-biggest economy in the world, to continue to create jobs, and to continue to push back against terrible policies by an angry man in the White House.”

CA @RepGaramendi says the Trump admin. cancelling a nearly $1 billion grant for California’s high-speed rail project is “payback” for the state challenging his policies.

“The President has it in for California.” https://t.co/oM61kZ3M6c pic.twitter.com/LQtWjggkZ4

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) February 20, 2019

His remarks came hours after the Trump administration announced that it was canceling nearly $929 million in grants planned for California’s high-speed rail system, which the state still plans to build between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and would additionally explore “every legal option to seek the return from California of $2.5 billion in Federal funds (Federal Railroad Administration) previously granted for this now-defunct project.”

As I predicted, 16 states, led mostly by Open Border Democrats and the Radical Left, have filed a lawsuit in, of course, the 9th Circuit! California, the state that has wasted billions of dollars on their out of control Fast Train, with no hope of completion, seems in charge!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2019

The failed Fast Train project in California, where the cost overruns are becoming world record setting, is hundreds of times more expensive than the desperately needed Wall!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2019

California now wants to scale back their already failed “fast train” project by substantially shortening the distance so that it no longer goes from L.A. to San Francisco. A different deal and record cost overruns. Send the Federal Government back the Billions of Dollars WASTED!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2019

California’s governor replied to one of Trump’s critical tweets, vowing to fight the administration over the money’s return.

“We’re building high-speed rail,” Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tweeted, adding, “This is CA’s money, allocated by Congress for this project. We’re not giving it back.”