Coburn Blasts ‘Porker Senators’ for Disaster-Aid Debate, Playing a ‘Crass Political Game’

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5tBuzIfyf50

“I was being asked these questions before we even pulled the dead people out of the rubble,” Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn said about the controversy over federal disaster aid after deadly tornados hit his home state earlier this week.

Coburn, who supports offsetting the costs of such aid, slammed “porker senators” calling for “parochial benefits” under the guise of supporting disaster-stricken states. He called it “a crass political game” and blamed “that kind of thinking” for the country’s financial problems.

When asked if he would vote against federal aid, Coburn said, “We’re not going to need a bill” because the FEMA fund could cover the costs.

He worried that any aid bill for Oklahoma would be similar to the one passed in response to Hurricane Sandy, which he voted against. Coburn explained that he supported the first $20 billion designated for emergency relief after the superstorm, but opposed the additional $40 billion, which would be used over the next five years.