MSNBC "Hardball" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Interview

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MATTHEWS:  Thank you very much, Madam Mayor.  Thank you for joining us from San Juan. 
 
Congressman, you are -- you live in New York.  You represent New York, and yet your are leader of the Hispanic Caucus.  How do you get Americans to get past Trump on this? 
 
REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT (D), NEW YORK:  I tell you his vision of giving Puerto Rico $91 billion is totally false.  In fact, FEMA has $20 million and they`ve only allotted for spending $1.5 billion.  
 
And the reason why they`ve done that is because it`s so difficult to navigate that bureaucracy.  So if you lost your home, you have to bring a notarized affidavit or an original deed to get that funding to fix your roof and that`s been a problem.  But a recent University of Michigan report reveal that nine days after the hurricanes hit in Texas and in Florida, you had $100 million being sent there.  Puerto Rico, $6 million. 
 
Nine days after the hurricanes hit, 30,000 workers in Texas and 60,000 in Florida, 16,000 in Texas, 10,000 in Puerto Rico.  So the response was horrible.  And Puerto Rico is still reeling back from this very lax, sloppy and lazy response to a storm that took 3,000 lives. 
 
So, the president continues to lie, saying that he sent $91 billion.  Medicaid reimbursement is a big problem over there.  That`s why they face a fiscal implosion.  Two hurricanes hit, not one, but two hit the island, and the response was not adequate.  It was not fast enough --
 
MATTHEWS:  Are you getting backing from the Democratic leadership in the House? 
 
ESPAILLAT:  We want to back Puerto Rico, yes.  The leadership wants to do it. 
 
MATTHEWS:  OK.
 
ESPAILLAT:  The congressional members, Nydia Velasquez and Jose Serrano and Soto that are from Puerto Rico also want to support --
 
MATTHEWS:  Thank you.  Good luck.
 
ESPAILLAT:  Thank you so much.
 
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