Rick Scott: ‘disappointing’ Obama admin rejected emergency declaration following Orlando shooting
Rick Scott talks to media in Jacksonville

Rick Scott

Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he finds it thoroughly “disappointing” Obama administration authorities have denied his request for a federal emergency declaration in the wake of last weekend’s deadly shooting at an Orlando nightclub.

Scott said the state of Florida will miss out on $5 million he requested, which he said would have funded “emergency response efforts, law enforcement response, emergency medical care, counseling services and other social services to assist victims.”

Federal officials have, however, approved $253,000 to help pay for overtime for hundreds first responders who worked long hours after the attack.

“It is incredibly disappointing that the Obama Administration denied our request for an Emergency Declaration. Last week, a terrorist killed 49 people, and wounded many others, which was the deadliest shooting in U.S. history,” said Scott, long a states’ rights advocate and staunch opponent of President Barack Obama.

“It is unthinkable that President Obama does not define this as an emergency. We are committing every state resource possible to help the victims and the community heal and we expect the same from the federal government,” continued Scott.

Scott pointed out several other times when federal officials saw fit to declare such a state of emergency, including the so-called Boston Bombing, a 2013 fertilizer explosion in West, Texas, and the president’s own inauguration in 2009.

Ryan Ray

Ryan Ray covers politics and public policy in North Florida and across the state. He has also worked as a legislative researcher and political campaign staffer. He can be reached at [email protected].


2 comments

  • Richard Crooks

    June 20, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    Why in hell would WE THE PEOPLE DO ANYTHING TO HELP and then Politicians like Rick Scott will turn around and stab us in the back. Let the people suffer they voted for this piece of trash.

  • B BERRY

    June 21, 2016 at 10:20 am

    FLORIDA HAS FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONCE, SAD 49 PEOPLE BUT LETS NOT BE CALLING FOR MORE MONEY ALL THE TIME, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY, NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU:

Comments are closed.


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