Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is drawing a line in the sand, making it clear he is still playing politics in the middle of a pandemic. His office circulated a news release Wednesday with the heading “Stopping Blue State Bailouts.” Meaning he doesn’t want federal funds to go to states that just happen to be heavily Democratic. Instead, he said:
“I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route. It saves some cities. And there’s no good reason for it not to be available.”
Today, in some of his sharpest criticism yet, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, said this suggestion from the McConnell is “one of the saddest, really dumb comments of all time.” (begins at 21:30 above) He went on to say this shouldn’t be a partisan issue: “How ugly a thought. Just think of what he is saying. People died, 15,000 people died but they were predominantly Democrats so why should we help them…. if there was ever a time, for you to put aside your pettiness and your partisan and this political lens you see the world through… that’s not who we are.”
“It’s not red or blue, it’s red, white and blue.”
NY Gov. Cuomo calls out Sen. McConnell for his “Stopping blue state bailouts” comment, calling it “vicious,” “ugly,” “irresponsible and reckless”
“If there was ever a time for humanity and decency … and a time to stop your obsessive political bias and anger, now is the time" pic.twitter.com/ubq0ohqTIq
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 23, 2020
He also pointed out:
“New York puts in more money into the federal pot than it takes out. His state takes out more than it puts in. Sen. McConnell, who’s getting bailed out here? It’s your state that is living on the money that we generate. Your state is getting bailed out. Not my state.”
Cuomo: Let’s talk about fairness, Mitch
NYS puts $116 billion more into the federal pot than we take out.
Kentucky TAKES $148 billion more from the federal pot than they put in.
But we don't deserve help now because the 15,000 people who died here were predominately democrats?
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) April 23, 2020
McConnell is also getting criticism from his side of the aisle.