Obama's FEMA denies tornado aid to southern Illinois. Home state president lets Illinois down

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ailing Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), recovering from a stroke, and the Illinois congressional have urged President Barack Obama to come through for his adopted home state and provide disaster assistance to five southern Illinois counties.

Durbin and representatives from Kirk’s office said in a statement they “will meet with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator (FEMA) Craig Fugate and, TOMORROW, March 14, 2012 at 11:15 AM EDT. The meeting will take place in room S-321 of the Capitol. Durbin called for the meeting following FEMA’s announcement on Sunday that aid would be denied in order to discuss the State of Illinois’ appeal of this decision. Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn are expected to join the meeting by phone.”