Good Monday evening. This is Daniel Allott with The Hill's Top Opinions.
Steve Israel's got a bone to pick with Ron DeSantis.
Israel represented parts of New York City over eight terms in Congress. In 2012, Israel's Long Island district was devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
But, Israel writes, "When Congress considered a $9.7 billion relief package for my region, then-freshman Rep. Ron DeSantis voted no, saying that he'd been elected to oppose the 'put it on the credit card mentality.'"
Today, of course, something similar has happened in Florida with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ian.
But now, Israel writes, "the same man who refused to support a lifeline for flooded New Yorkers argues that we're all in the same boat."
DeSantis, the Florida governor and prospective presidential candidate, is gladly taking federal aid — going "from chest-thumper to glad-hander with the Biden administration."
And after accusing the Biden administration of stiffing storm victims earlier this year for political reasons, now DeSantis says he's "thankful" for the administration's help.
"What a difference a deluge makes," writes Israel.
Israel notes that this is not the first time DeSantis has "demonstrated an ability to overcome hypocrisy with dexterity."
In 2013, Israel and some other members of New York's congressional delegation were tempted to vote against disaster assistance when the next natural disaster struck Florida. But they quickly abandoned the idea.
"You can't govern with grudges," Israel writes.
"There are some issues that should be immune from partisan posturing," Israel writes. "Ron DeSantis has learned that it was easy to be a tea party blowhard. It's tougher to govern when the winds blow hard."
Read Israel's piece here.
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