Just over two weeks ago, USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy announced the findings of a “compliance review” the federal government completed on the California High Speed Rail Authority. But Duffy had already promised that the document would show nothing but "fraud, waste, and abuse" long before it was written. To point out the obvious, it's just a manufactured excuse to claw back federal funding for a project they always wanted to kill, not a serious examination of the rail authority’s accomplishments and challenges.
CAHSR fought back this week, calling the federal audit “an inaccurate, often outright misleading, presentation of the evidence.” You can read their full response here.
On Wednesday, in front of a press gaggle, President Trump again lashed out at California high-speed rail, the state's fire-prevention programs, and the governor, who he refereed to as “Newscum." He also stated that high-speed rail was “a hundred times over budget,” which is completely untrue.
In his first term, Trump already tried, and failed, to cancel federal grants for the project.
But while the project continues to draw jeers from Republican opinion makers and faux urbanists, it continues to make progress.
On the budget front, the re-authorization of the state’s Cap-and-Trade program will provide $1 billion annually from the state to keep the project moving. The authority also celebrated the completion of its 55th construction project, a highway grade separation project in Tulare County, and 70 miles of guideway. Polls show that California voters continue to support the project.
At Streetsblog, we’re often asked why we don’t cover every move in the ongoing battle between President Trump's DOT versus California transportation agencies and CAHSR in particular. If Streetsblog covered every time the President mumbled about cutting funds for CAHSR or any other “woke” or “green new scam” project, it’s all we would write. Can any of this really be considered news at this point?
If the federal government officially pulls the plug on California High Speed Rail funding (until the next President is elected), Streetsblog will report on it and the sure-to-follow legal appeals. Until then, keep your eyes on Today’s Headlines for the occasional update while the rest of the show rolls on.
