Texas county judge blasts Bush for lack of Harvey relief

AUSTIN, Texas – A county judge on Texas’ Gulf Coast has written to fellow Republican and state Land Commissioner George P. Bush, decrying that there’s “no adequate relief in sight” a year after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry’s letter Tuesday asks Bush, son of ex-2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush, to “personally look into this and assist our community.” Bush’s office is overseeing state rebuilding efforts post-Harvey.

Texas has received more than $5 billion in Housing and Urban Development funding and is required to prioritize low-to-moderate income people. But Henry argues Bush is also mandating that infrastructure spending be prioritized the same way, limiting its effectiveness.

The judge further faulted Bush’s office for a “top-down approach,” marginalizing local leaders.

Brittany Eck, a spokeswoman for Bush’s agency, said there’s no “magic wand” to avoid federal requirements.