Ohio congressman slammed for saying Californians shouldn't get disaster fire relief unless they change policies

An Ohio GOP congressman has been widely criticized after saying Californians shouldn't get disaster relief until state policies are changed.

Representative Warren Davidson told Fox Business that the fire-torn state shouldn't receive disaster funds until state policies are changed to prevent wildfires from devastating the Golden State. 

'No doubt, we need to address fires, but the problem with California is forestry management,' Davidson, 54, said. 

'All these things that they're doing are making it far easier for fires to grow and spread and be huge... If they want the money then there should be consequences where they have to change their policies,' the lawmaker added, despite more than 180,000 residents being displaced and homes razed to the ground. 

'California wants the money without changing the policies that are making the problem badder [sic] or worse. And I don't see how Republicans can possibly support that.' 

Davidson, who has been a representative for the Buckeye State since 2016, said GOP leaders 'support the people that are plagued by disaster' but cannot support California leadership not working to protect from preventative devastation. 

The congressman doubled down on his opinion on X, saying policy changes in the Democrat state was a 'reasonable' request. 

He suggested leaders 'manage water, so you have water for people and firefighters,' 'manage forest, so dead fuel is removed rather than retrained for future fires,' and to 'let insurance markets function, so homeowners aren't left without fire coverage.' 

In response, several X users called out the Midwestern politician - who lives in an area that is not prone to disasters - for wanting to deny people in need for political purposes. 

'I swear to god next time Ohio has a disaster I will fight tooth and nail to make sure our politicians don't vote to give you a dime. Anti-American POS,' one X user wrote. 

Another wrote: 'Republicans are really trying to blame everything except addressing the giant-sized elephant in the room called climate change.' 

A third tweeter agreed, writing: 'Reasonable actions would be following the recommendations of climate scientists, not politicians. You know, competent [people] vs power hungry syncophants.' 

'How Christian of you. Piece of garbage,' a fourth wrote. 

'And the next tornado that hits Ohio? Warren Davidson says: “F**k them people”!' one user wrote on X.

'It wasn’t a forest. How can you be so f**king stupid? Warren Davidson tells the people of California to f**k themselves!!'

Another simply wrote: 'Reasonable is telling you to go f**k yourself.' 

'It is complete insanity that people believe we can regulate our way into a perfect utopia. Every action has a reaction,' another wrote. 

More than 180,000 people have been displaced from their homes since the fire started in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, according to NBC Los Angeles. 

It has scorched more than 21,500 acres in less than a week, according to Cal Fire data. 

The disaster has already claimed the lives of at least 11 people and destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including many celebrity mansions. 

As of Saturday morning, only eight percent of the Palisades Fire has been contained. 

On Thursday night, Los Angeles County was still battling at least six major fires with most barely contained.

The Archer Fire is zero percent contained, Eaton fire is only three percent contained, Kenneth is 50 percent, Hurst is 70 percent , Lidia is 98 percent, according to Cal Fire. 

The scale of the devastation has prompted locals to demand answers from officials, amid reports that fire hydrants in some of the worst-hit areas ran dry.

Los Angeles County has also declared a state of emergency, and the City of Angels was also hit by a fire tornado. 

Recently released footage showed the fire tornado forming near the city's San Fernando Valley.

A fire tornado is a rare phenomenon that occurs when a fire and turbulent winds create a spinning column of fire, ash and smoke.

It is likely to occur during a wildfire due to intense heat rising quickly.

Early on into the devastation, firefighters battling the blaze warned they were running out of water and supplies, as evacuation warnings spread to Malibu and Calabasas. 

Governor Gavin Newsom has since come under fire for slashing California's funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million less than a year before devastating fires tore through Los Angeles.

The Democrat California governor signed the budget cuts into law in June 2024, severing funding from seven programs focused on preventing and battling potential wildfires in the state, reports Newsweek.

Cuts included a $5 million decrease to the CAL FIRE fuel reduction teams, which included funding to pay for vegetation management work by the California National Guard, an analysis by the outlet found.

The total for the program was stripped to $129 million, amid claims that the state failed to clear brush and forestry that may have accelerated the flames.

Newsom's budget cuts also slashed $4 million from a forest legacy program intended to promote management practices for landowners, and $28million from funding for state conservancies aimed at increasing wildfire resistance.

A further $8 million was cut from monitoring and research programs that reportedly largely went to CAL FIRE, and $3million from an interagency forest data hub.

A pilot program intended to make homes more resilient to wildfires through a hardening scheme also had its funding cut by $12 million.

In response to Newsome's leadership amid the disaster, Donald Trump called on the Governor and expected 2028 presidential contender to resign while furious residents screamed at him as he surveyed the damage.