Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not been taking calls from Vice President Kamala Harris regarding storm recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene hit parts of the state. DeSantis has been in direct contact with FEMA Director Deanne Criswell, denying that he refused to take Harris’ call and stating that he did not know she had called. The White House invited DeSantis to survey storm damage with President Biden, but DeSantis chose not to attend. The White House stated that Biden had spoken to DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor regarding the hurricanes. DeSantis sent Florida resources to North Carolina for storm recovery efforts there through Operation Blue Ridge. Despite this, there has been no effort by Biden to reach out to DeSantis regarding Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in Florida this week. Former President Trump has also been involved in hurricane relief efforts, visiting Georgia and launching a GoFundMe to help with relief work in the region. Harris criticized DeSantis for not putting aside politics during times of crisis and urged leaders to prioritize the needs of those affected by disasters.
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