Ignoring Gov’s Plea to Not Come for Photo-Op, Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Louisiana, And Tony Perkins

Tony Perkins, Franklin Graham Join Trump Tour Amid Crisis

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has asked Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to not visit his flood-ravaged state for “a photo-op” – or come but volunteer – so law enforcement and other emergency services personnel can focus on doing their jobs, assisting residents after torrential rains produced the worst natural disaster in the state since Hurricane Katrina.

But that didn’t keep Trump away Friday afternoon.

“Donald Trump hasn’t called the governor to inform him of his visit,” a spokesman for the Democratic Governor’s Edwards’ office said, as Politico reported. “We welcome him to LA but not for a photo-op. Instead we hope he’ll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of the storm.”

Trump flew his personal jet in to Baton Rouge, for a tour of the flooding, and several photo-ops.

On the ground less than an hour, Trump bashed President Obama for not visiting Louisiana, even though Gov. Bel Edwards specifically had asked the President to stay away for a while:

Trump and Pence “met a group of volunteers at a Baptist church who have been cooking meals for flood victims and helping the elderly gut their homes,” The Advertiser reports. 

While on the ground in Louisiana, Trump visited with two of his top supporters: Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, as Box Turtle Bulletin reports, and Franklin Graham. Perkins has been hugely influential in moving evangelicals toward Trump, and has organized events for them to meet with the GOP nominee. Graham has been especially supportive toward Trump, while trying to appear as if he is not supporting either candidate.

Perkins is one of thousands who have lost their homes in the devastating flooding. 40,000 homes have been damaged and 13 people have died. Thousands are in temporary shelters.

And despite Trump’s new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, promising Trump’s visit would be “a decidedly nonpolitical event,” Trump did exactly what Trump does.

“While speaking with volunteers at the Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, north of Baton Rouge, Trump said, ‘The president says he doesn’t want to come, he is trying to get out of a golf game,'” WIMS reports.

Others were equally critical.

“I heard he wants to stay under par while we are under water,” said Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council and a Trump supporter, who was in attendance.

 

Image by Dominic Massa via Twitter