'Because they're stupid': Trump admin called out for 'screwing' GOP lawmakers on childcare
Donald Trump’s decision to withhold childhood care funds from the multiple jurisdictions, which will hurt his own supporters, was pilloried by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul during an appearance on MS NOW Thursday morning.
Brought on to discuss her proposal to expand free and subsidized child care in her state, the governor was asked about her dealings with the Trump administration and gave the relationship a thumbs down.
Appearing on “Morning Joe,” she told the hosts, “[It’s a] war with kids. Let's just call it for what it is. You know, he singles out the five — some of the largest states happen to be run by Democratic governors, and he thinks he's screwing with us. But what he doesn't realize is that in a state like New York, these child care funds and social services funds are administered by the counties. Of my 62 counties in New York, 47 are red counties. So now I have Republican county executives, represented by Republican members of Congress, who are also getting screwed in the process.”
“Well, the state will have to help out here, right? But it's a reimbursement program,” she elaborated. “They told us with this, basically, another hostage letter. I get them almost every week, some threatening letter withholding money for a tunnel or a bridge or whatever. They just wake up and decide they want to attack us on a given day. But this letter we received two days ago says that if we don't provide volumes of information going back years, that is in the hands of counties, within two weeks, it's going to be permanently suspended.”
“I’m sorry,“ co-host Joe Scarborough pressed. “Why is there a war on kids coming from this administration?”
“Why do I think there is a war on kids?” Hochul repeated before exclaiming, “Because they’re stupid!”
“I mean, I don't understand this,” she continued. “I'm just telling you, I don't know why they are so hostile. I think it's this depth of cruelty they think they're going to get to me. But the kids are the political pawns in this process, and they're not doing that calculation.”
“Children are being hurt and they need to know that,” she added. “And that's why I'm saying it today. But also our governors are staying together, we'll go to court, we'll do what we can. But, my god, do you know how many cases I have against this administration ongoing? This is a growth industry for lawyers.”
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