Lina Hidalgo refutes Dan Patrick’s claims she didn’t request aid for Harris County during Hurricane Beryl – Houston Public Media

Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she hasn’t spoken to acting Gov. Dan Patrick in years, but she has communicated with the Texas Division of Emergency Management about Hurricane Beryl.

“The last time I had a conversation with Dan Patrick was years ago at a funeral. He was standing next to me and he said, ‘Sit down and shut up.’ And all I could say back was, ‘Shut up,’” she said.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is serving as acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is overseas on a trade mission. Political tensions over the aid began earlier this week when the Houston Chronicle reported that President Joe Biden had difficulty contacting the acting governor and Abbott so they could obtain the disaster declaration request needed for federal aid. Abbott responded on social media, calling Biden’s statements a “complete lie.”

At a press conference Thursday, Patrick said they had contacted Judge Hidalgo several times over the past week.

“On Tuesday, we asked her if she needed anything. ‘Everything is fine.’ We haven’t received any requests from the Harris County judge,” Patrick said.

Hidalgo was on News 88.7 for a special broadcast on Hurricane Beryl recovery Thursday to provide more updates and answer questions. She said she signed the disaster declaration before the hurricane made landfall in Texas.

“That’s how we always do it. And that way, the project is ready to go to the state and the Fed,” she said.

Regarding the conflict between Biden and Patrick, Hidalgo said the president reached out to her before she could reach the acting governor.

“It seems a little ridiculous to bring this up now, but I had two phone conversations with the president yesterday morning and he reached out, really alarmed that he couldn’t get through to state leaders to get this disaster declaration request,” she said. “(Biden) was concerned about that, and I said, ‘Well, why don’t you call Dan Patrick directly?’ and he did, and he called me back, and he said, ‘Yes, he’ll sign it.’”