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Wednesday, Jan 2, 2013 9:06 PM UTC

Chris Christie: GOP’s “toxic” politics to blame for delayed Sandy aid

The New Jersey governor goes ballistic in a new press conference over aid for Hurricane Sandy VIDEO

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Topics: Video, Chris Christie, New Jersey, New York, John Boehner, Hurricane Sandy,

Chris Christie: GOP's (Credit: AP Photo/Mel Evans)

In a press conference this afternoon, Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., joined the chorus of East Coast Republican lawmakers who were furious that Republican leadership adjourned the House before a vote on federal aid for states impacted by Hurricane Sandy. “There’s only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims,” Christie said. “The House majority and their speaker John Boehner.”

Christie was referring to a $60 billion funding package that would have gone to Hurricane relief efforts, which Republican leadership failed to bring to a vote before adjourning last night. “Last night politics was placed before our  oath to our citizens,” Christie said. “For me, it was disappointing and disgusting to watch.”

He added that Sandy victims in New York and New Jersey have had to wait six times longer for federal disaster relief funding than victims of Hurricane Katrina, which Christie said shows a “callous indifference to the suffering of people in my state.” The bill, which passed out of the Senate, ”just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority,” Christie said.

Christie is the latest Republican to blame John Boehner for the failure of the House to bring the bill to a vote. Reps. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., and Peter King, R-N.Y., have also both publicly decried GOP leadership over the bill.

The Washington Post reports that both Grimm and King met with Boehner today, and that a vote on the bill will be scheduled on Friday.

Watch:

 

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com. More Jillian Rayfield.

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