Politics

Houston Mayor Says He Hasn’t Spoken With Abbott During Texas Storm Disaster

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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday that he hasn’t spoken with Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott during the Texas storm disaster.

Turner said on “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” that both Texas’ state and governor’s offices aren’t assisting them with his endeavors.

“No. This is separate and apart from the state and the governor’s office. In fact, I have not talked to the governor at any time during this crisis,” Turner said.

“I have not talked to the governor. But we’re pushing forward,” Turner told Ruhle. “We recognize that there are a lot of people who are suffering. And just bear in mind, for those who have means they’re inconvenienced and they’re impacted.”

Abbott called on Tuesday for a probe of Texas’ power grid’s loss of power. Millions of Texans lost electricity and 21 people died from a winter storm in the state.

“But for those who don’t have means, for those who are on the lower level of our social-economic strata. They are the ones who are being devastated by these conditions and the fact that the state did not produce enough generation to prevent a lot of these blackouts,” Turner said.

Turner said he’s particularly worried about senior citizens who can’t stay in a hotel, can’t quickly get a plumber and are without fireplaces. The Houston mayor also noted his concern of “people in our low-income communities.”

Turner said he’s starting a fund to help people.

“We want them to know that even after their power is restored, where they’re suffering damages in their homes, we want to do everything we can to assist them,” Turner said.

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