Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been criticized for requesting federal aid in the wake of the tornadoes that ripped through the state despite previously speaking out against the “meddling hand of big government.”
Sanders’ plea for help has led to accusations of hypocrisy. During her gubernatorial campaign, she said she was running to defend the “right to be free of socialism and tyranny.”
A spokesperson for the governor hit back at her critics, telling Newsweek they were using “a time of tragedy to score political points.”
On Saturday, Sanders’ office said the governor had spoken with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to discuss the state and federal response to the tornadoes. FEMA has since confirmed that Criswell will be traveling to Arkansas on Sunday to survey the tornado damage.
Sanders has also spoken with Joe Biden, with the president telling the governor that the federal government “stands ready to assist” the people of Arkansas following the severe weather which has left at least five people dead and dozens more injured.
Getty Images
Social media users have also pointed to a tweet Sanders sent in January after entering office stating that as governor of Arkansas, the “meddling hand of big government creeping down from Washington D.C. will be stopped cold at the Mississippi River.”
While sharing a screengrab of Sanders’ January post, Mark Jacob, author and former editor of The Chicago Tribune, tweeted: “The federal government will help Arkansas recover from today’s devastating tornadoes, as well it should. But I couldn’t help recalling Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ divisive tweet from January in which she refused to see Americans as one people.”
Comedian and actor Gabe Sachez wrote: “So, does this mean that Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be accepting help from ‘the meddling hand of big government’?”
Lindy Li, a political commentator, and Democratic National Committee member tweeted: “Sarah Huckabee Sanders blasted socialism. Now she’s begging for aid.
“Bankers blasted socialism. Now they’re begging for bailouts. Marjorie Taylor Greene blasted socialism. She got $183,504 in PPP money. Republicans are ALWAYS about privatizing the profits & socializing the losses.”
In a…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Newsweek…