Governor Ron DeSantis, known for his criticism of California, has extended help as an uncommon hurricane approaches the state.
As Hurricane Hilary heads towards Southern California with projections of making landfall as a tropical storm, DeSantis, who is currently campaigning for president in New Hampshire, expressed his readiness to assist California. He posted on X platform on Saturday, “In Florida, we understand the difficulties posed by storms and possess substantial experience in responding to their aftermath. We stand prepared to offer assistance to the people of California in any manner possible.”
We attempted to contact the Governor’s Office to ascertain whether the Governor or his staff have proactively reached out to California to provide resources or manpower. Despite ongoing negotiations between DeSantis and California Governor Gavin Newsom for a fall debate, it seems the impending storm might lead to a temporary truce.
DeSantis’ comments present a juxtaposition to his criticism of California and its policies on the presidential campaign trail.
During a recent campaign trip to Iowa, the Governor voiced his disapproval of a California law safeguarding pregnant pigs, a law similar to one present in Florida’s own Constitution.
Addressing supporters during his Never Back Down bus tour stop in Atlantic, DeSantis stated that under his presidential administration, he wouldn’t allow California to dictate how Iowa’s farmers conduct their business, particularly with regards to adhering to California’s regulations on pork production. He deemed this approach nonsensical.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of California’s Proposition 12, a law that mandates more spacious accommodations for breeding pigs. The Court sided with California against industry groups like the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation, which contended that the state’s regulations would place unreasonable burdens on pig farmers.
The California law prohibits the sale of whole pork meat for human consumption if it comes from a breeding pig or its immediate offspring that was confined at any point during its production cycle in an enclosure not complying with the standards outlined in Chapter 10, Article 3, pertaining to Breeding Pigs.
The hurricane’s impact will be felt in Los Angeles, one of the cities DeSantis has referred to as a “disaster zone.”
DeSantis remarked, “Our country cannot thrive if every urban center is in a state of disaster,” naming cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington DC, and New York City as examples of urban decline due to lawlessness.
DeSantis has also criticized San Francisco for its residents openly engaging in public indecency.
“At a Faith & Freedom Coalition event in June, the Governor recounted his recent visit to San Francisco, where he witnessed people defecating on sidewalks, using drugs like fentanyl, and openly smoking crack. He described the scene as a reflection of a decaying civilization.”