Taken the Trump Administration by surprise. We knew the storm was coming. We knew for days that a category 5 hurricane was on a collision course with puerto rico, just as communities across the island were picking up after the pieces of irma. And we have known for years about the islands aging infrastructure like the downed power line pictured here. In short, all of us knew that Hurricane Maria was a recipe for disaster that would leave 3. 5 million americans in peril, disconnected, and in the dark. It should not have taken the administration 12 days to issue a disaster declaration, something i called for for 100 of the island, because as i saw on friday, there is no community in puerto rico that is untouched by this tragedy. Focused leadership would have had a threestar general on the ground the moment the clouds parted, not eight days after the storm struck. We needed medical evacuation vehicles and vessels, aid and relief delivery assistance on standby, the u. S. S. Comfort ready fo