San Juan mayor: GOP can’t handle the truth
WASHINGTON — San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on Wednesday questioned why Republicans abruptly postponed a House hearing where she was scheduled to testify about the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico.
Cruz, who has tangled with President Trump about the federal response to storm damage, suggested the White House did not want to hear her criticism.
“There was a meeting sched- uled for today that was canceled as s I was getting to Washington,” she e said during a news conference with Democratic House members. “It is evident that this administration does not want to listen to the truth and does not want to own up to it.”
The mayor was referring to a hearing about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s preparedness and response capa- bilities that was scheduled for Wednesday morning and was supposed to include testimony from both Cruz (pictured) and FEMA Administrator Brock Long.
Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, who had invited C Cruz to testify, told reporters he was given no explanation for the postponement.
“It is inexcusable that the Republ licans have delayed this hearing for t the third time with no rational reason in a blatant attempt to silence the mayor and shield the Trump administration from another bad news story,” he said. A committee aide said Thompson requested the witness Friday evening, leaving only the weekend to plan for a panel of state and local witnesses to reflect areas of the country affected by recent natural disasters.