Bill Maher Blasts Newsom For Cutting Cali’s ‘Red Tape Nightmare’ To Help Rebuild Efforts, Asks Why He Can’t Do It ‘When We’re Not On Fire’
Screenshot via TMZ
Bill Maher ripped into California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after he announced an executive order cutting red tape to help streamline rebuilding efforts following the expansive fires that destroyed thousands of homes.
Newsom’s recent order suspends California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations, making faster rebuilds of homes possible.
Maher joined TMZ’s Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere on Wednesday and recalled his own run-ins with California’s extensive red tape. Maher chronicles on his Real Time show that it took more than a year to get approval to build a shed to install solar panels at his property.
The comedian said the state’s “uber progressive politics” certainly didn’t cause the Palisades fires, but they have impeded response efforts.
“I always think there’s a middle of the road, actual practical solution to everything and for this I would say, was California’s uber progressive politics the cause of this fire? Of course not. Did it impede them to some degree? Absolutely. That’s the margin of error that I’m saying we can’t abide by anymore,” Maher said.
Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) have both come under scrutiny following the fires. The latter was visiting Ghana when the fires broke out, and she also slashed millions from the fire budget months before the fires came.
Maher balked at Newsom and Bass acting like cutting “red tape” is a “favor.” He also wondered why that red tape couldn’t be cut when “we’re not on fire.”
“Now, as far as the red tape, I see that they’re all — Newsom, Bass — they’re all saying, we’re going to cut red tape as if they’re doing us a favor. My question is, well, if you can do it now, why didn’t you always do it? Obviously, it can be done. It’s not a favor to us to cut the red tape,” he said. “Why do we live in this state, in this red tape nightmare the other times of the year when we’re not on fire?”
Watch above via TMZ.
