RICHMOND, VA. -
Update 12:00 am
CBS 6 has learned that Kaine would be back Thursday night. His press secretary, Gordon Hickey says he's been trying to get him home sooner, but there's been some flight issues because of the weather.
Friday morning, Kaine will be at the Emergency Operations Center for a briefing, and on Saturday he'll go to several locations throughout the Commonwealth to personally assess the storm damage.
But some are livid that he's not here.
Tim Murtaugh, Communications Director with the Virginia Republican Party said "I think it's no secret to anybody that come hell or high water that Tim Kaine is the Chairman of the DNC before he's Governor of Virginia".
He adds "We've known for awhile that Tim Kaine has been an absentee Governor based on his duties for the DNC, as Chairman of the DNC".
But, Kaines Press Secretary, Gordon Hickey argues that Kaine has been on top of the storm and how it's affecting Virginians eversince he declared a state of emergency.
"He's the governor 24 hours a day. I mean, he's on the phone constantly. He's on email constantly. The phone doesn't care how far away it is from the other phone. So, he's pretty much the governor all the time, no matter where's he's sitting in the chair...He's been very much involved" says Hickey.
According to the Washington Post, Kaine travelled outside the state doing business for the DNC half of the month of June, a departure from his initial pledge to limit his work as party chairman to evenings and weekends.
"If Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays count as weekends and evenings as personal time, then Tim Kaine has become the new inventor of the two-day work week", said Murtaugh.
==============================================================================================
Some are asking whether it's appropriate for the Governor to be out of state at this time?
CBS 6 spent the day trying to reach Governor Kaine.
The Governor did attend a private fundraiser luncheon Thursday afternoon in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He tells CBS 6, the event was closed to the public and held at a private residence.
The Governor's trip comes just hours before he declared a State of Emergency Wednesday night, putting State agencies on alert to respond to flooding from remnants of Tropical Storm Ida.
Airport sources tell CBS 6, Governor Tim Kaine was spotted at the Richmond International Airport late Wednesday morning.
CBS 6 learned the Governor was on his way to Arkansas.
Kaine, who chairs the DNC, appeared at a closed $250 dollar-per-ticket luncheon at a home of a local attorney in Little Rock, Arkansas.
One who happens to be a big Democratic fundraiser.
Aides say the Governor was in constant phone contact with the Emergency operations center and his Chief of staff in Richmond.
CBS 6 wanted to know is it unusual for a Governor to be out of the Commonwealth after declaring a State of Emergency?
Not according to our Political Analyst Dr. Lauren Bell.
She tells CBS 6 it looks better if Governor Kaine is assessing the situation here at home to respond quicker.
But Dr. Bell says the number one reason for declaring a State of Emergency is to get Federal Disaster money and help from private organizations like the Red Cross.
CBS 6 has learned that Kaine would be back Thursday night. His press secretary, Gordon Hickey says he's been trying to get him home sooner, but there's been some flight issues because of the weather.
Friday morning, Kaine will be at the Emergency Operations Center for a briefing, and on Saturday he'll go to several locations throughout the Commonwealth to personally assess the storm damage.
But some are livid that he's not here.
Tim Murtaugh, Communications Director with the Virginia Republican Party said "I think it's no secret to anybody that come hell or high water that Tim Kaine is the Chairman of the DNC before he's Governor of Virginia".
He adds "We've known for awhile that Tim Kaine has been an absentee Governor based on his duties for the DNC, as Chairman of the DNC".
But, Kaines Press Secretary, Gordon Hickey argues that Kaine has been on top of the storm and how it's affecting Virginians eversince he declared a state of emergency.
"He's the governor 24 hours a day. I mean, he's on the phone constantly. He's on email constantly. The phone doesn't care how far away it is from the other phone. So, he's pretty much the governor all the time, no matter where's he's sitting in the chair...He's been very much involved" says Hickey.
According to the Washington Post, Kaine travelled outside the state doing business for the DNC half of the month of June, a departure from his initial pledge to limit his work as party chairman to evenings and weekends.
"If Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays count as weekends and evenings as personal time, then Tim Kaine has become the new inventor of the two-day work week", said Murtaugh.
==============================================================================================
Some are asking whether it's appropriate for the Governor to be out of state at this time?
CBS 6 spent the day trying to reach Governor Kaine.
The Governor did attend a private fundraiser luncheon Thursday afternoon in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He tells CBS 6, the event was closed to the public and held at a private residence.
The Governor's trip comes just hours before he declared a State of Emergency Wednesday night, putting State agencies on alert to respond to flooding from remnants of Tropical Storm Ida.
Airport sources tell CBS 6, Governor Tim Kaine was spotted at the Richmond International Airport late Wednesday morning.
CBS 6 learned the Governor was on his way to Arkansas.
Kaine, who chairs the DNC, appeared at a closed $250 dollar-per-ticket luncheon at a home of a local attorney in Little Rock, Arkansas.
One who happens to be a big Democratic fundraiser.
Aides say the Governor was in constant phone contact with the Emergency operations center and his Chief of staff in Richmond.
CBS 6 wanted to know is it unusual for a Governor to be out of the Commonwealth after declaring a State of Emergency?
Not according to our Political Analyst Dr. Lauren Bell.
She tells CBS 6 it looks better if Governor Kaine is assessing the situation here at home to respond quicker.
But Dr. Bell says the number one reason for declaring a State of Emergency is to get Federal Disaster money and help from private organizations like the Red Cross.
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