Reps. Huffman and Napolitano React to Donald Trump’s Meeting with Westlands Water District

May 26, 2016

Washington, D.C.- California Representatives Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), Ranking Member of the Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee, and Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte), Ranking Member on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to news reports that presidential candidate Donald Trump will be in California tomorrow to meet with major players in the agriculture industry, reportedly including senior leadership and board members of the Westlands Water District:

“Donald Trump, who continues to refuse to release his tax returns and show the public his personal accounting, will be sitting down with the perpetrators responsible for one of the largest municipal bond fraud cases in SEC history. Westlands Water District’s self-described “Enron Accounting” sounds a lot like Trump’s own smoke and mirrors. We’re sure that Westlands and Trump will have a lot to discuss given their similarly questionable financial history, with Westlands currently trying to line their pockets with a massive $375 million taxpayer bailout to keep themselves afloat.  ??

“Furthermore, we are particularly interested in Westlands’ position on Trump’s plan to deport migrant farmworkers in California and the rest of the nation. While we don’t expect it, we of course welcome any constructive policy solutions from Trump on how he would handle California’s water crisis and issues facing Latino farmworkers, not simply scapegoating environmental laws or holding a feel-good meeting to discuss their use of corporate welfare over taco salads.”