Dick Spotswood: Huffman is getting under Trump administration’s skin
On the recent flood walk to check out damage caused by king tides and storms, the walk’s leader, Congressman Jared Huffman made a disturbing disclosure. We were inquiring about the withdrawal of federal funding by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to aid permanent work needed to resolve tidal impact to Highway 101.
Huffman told the assembled media outlets that Trump regime Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has instructed the Army Corps of Engineers not to communicate with him or his office. I asked the House of Representative member if there were other elected officials in Congress that were similarly blocked from communicating with the Army Corps or other federal agencies. He didn’t know for sure, but replied, “I expect so.”
The impact of President Donald Trump and Hegseth’s arbitrary and clearly partisan actions on Marin will be devastating. The IJ has reported Marin “was seeking a $13.5 million grant to rebuild the Highway 101 exit into Marin City, which floods in storms and high tides, and a $18 million grant to replace a flood wall that helps protect 700 homes in the Santa Venetia neighborhood. Also, Corte Madera was seeking a $1.2 million grant to fortify and raise a flood berm in its Marina Village neighborhood.”
The Trump administration killed those and other funding for climate change-related infrastructure projects approved during Joe Biden’s administration.
The Corps of Engineers is a key player in addressing seasonal flooding on this stretch of Highway 101. It’s also deeply involved in flooding on the Ross Valley creek from bayside marshes in Larkspur up to Ross, San Anselmo and Fairfax.
The San Rafael Democrat is Marin’s point person on any action or lack of action in Washington. He’s also the ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee. When, at some point, Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives, he’ll be the chair of this committee that’s pivotal to issues related to flooding and sea-level rise.
Once again, Trump and his minions are extracting retribution on those communities that had the nerve to support his opponents when he lost in 2020 and when he made a comeback in 2024. Cutting off Huffman not only impacts his Second Congressional District; it’s intentionally ruinous to all politically “blue” regions. With his senior role on the Natural Resources Committee, Huffman is one of the few congressional Democrats tasked with addressing the impact of flooding and climate change.
When Democrats return to power in Washington, they might decide to play nice. However, Republicans under Trump have changed the rules of the political game, and that change will be permanent.
Under Trump, the bulk of federal emergency funding now goes to hard-hit Republican congressional districts. The GOP should recall the old political maxim, “What goes around, comes around.”
Trump blocked funding to aid the recovery of Pacific Palisades wildfire victims in Democratic Los Angeles County. Marin, where in 2024’s general election, only 16.4% of 146,859 ballots cast went to Trump, will likely be treated similarly if Mount Tamalpais’ watershed is hit by wildfire.
Democrats should consider playing by Trump’s rules when they are back in power. Low-lying lands in Republican Florida and the Carolinas would then go without federal assistance. Instead, Democrats can play “tit for tat” by directing emergency funding to aid natural disaster victims on the Pacific Coast, Hawaii, Chicago, Northeastern and Middle Atlantic states, all Democratic strongholds.
While Huffman’s exclusion from working with the Corps of Engineers will directly harm North Bay/North Coast residents regardless of political affiliation, he’ll find a political bright spot. Huffman now has a prominent place on Trump’s enemies list. Just like being on former President Richard Nixon’s infamous enemies list, everyone on that page is a hero to Democrats and independents everywhere. The unintended consequence of Hegseth’s stunt is that Huffman will likely be reelected in a landslide.
Columnist Dick Spotswood of Mill Valley writes on local issues Sundays and Wednesdays. Email him at spotswood@comcast.net.