After two days of deservedly-harsh criticism of Ohio Governor John Kasich, some of which came from his own party members, for his refusal to accept federal disaster relief for the victims of Friday's tornado super-outbreak, he is now quietly reconsidering and opening the door to "additional resources."
U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt said she urged Kasich on Monday to change course after public officials in several hard-hit areas expressed an interest in immediate federal help.
She said the leaders of those communities don’t accept Kasich’s assertion that federal disaster assistance is not needed and that the state can handle cleanup efforts and emergency relief. [...]
Kasich said an assessment team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will arrive soon to determine “what additional resources might be available to help people begin recovering.” [...]
More pressure on Kasich came early Monday when the village of Moscow sent out a call for help to Cincinnati and other communities because state resources were not sufficient to do the job.
Given that local mayors, council members, and representatives are expressing their need for additional resources, it's quite clear that Governor Kasich did not consult any of them before declaring the state did not need the federal government's help.
Describing the situation now as one wherein an "assessment team" will offer additional resources is a unique way of describing what would take place under normal disaster circumstances anyway.
This is a reversal, but he worded it in a way that allows him to save face with the government-hating crowd.
This was all politics for Kasich. No substance.