Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made headlines Tuesday for filling a Los Angeles pothole while dressed like his character in The Terminator.
After that, Schwarzenegger faced a patronizing lecture from local authorities… and he hit back.
Warning: Will “Bidenflation” Destroy Your Retirement? [sponsored]
A city spokesperson told NBC Los Angeles, “This location is not a pothole… It’s a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by [the utility company] SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May.”
Schwarzenegger’s office had some questions.
A Schwarzenegger staffer pointed out that the utility company had already stopped the gas work. He took issue with the city for implying that the utility still needed to access the trench.
“They implied @schwarzenegger paved over active gas work that would finish at the end of May. Then, the truth came out: the gas work was done in January,” Chief of Staff Daniel Ketchell tweeted Thursday. “It’s always important to take bureaucratic damage control with a grain of salt.”
Schwarzenegger himself added that the utility company had left the hole for too long, anyway.
The utility company was planning to fill the trench within 30 days of finishing the January maintenance. However, the company suffered delays due to the rain and the atmospheric rivers.
Los Angeles is dealing with more potholes than usual because of the unusually wet weather, and it’s dealing with a backlog of requests to fill potholes.
Amid the pile-up of requests, Schwarzenneger said that he also filled a second pothole. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it,” Schwarzenegger tweeted, crediting his bricklaying business with giving him the expertise.
Sponsored: This Food Grows Cancerous Tumors – Do Not Eat It
However, Schwarzenegger’s office refrained from antagonizing the mayor.
“He just wanted to show it’s possible to get things done quickly,” the chief of staff tweeted. “He didn’t blame the mayor, who he knows has only been in office for a few months and is trying to hire more street workers right now.”
Take a look —
It’s always important to take bureaucratic damage control with a grain of salt. First, they implied @schwarzenegger paved over active gas work that would finish at the end of May. Then, the truth came out: the gas work was done in January (and the timeline for paving sped up). pic.twitter.com/37jCGFx85L
— Daniel Ketchell (@ketch) April 13, 2023
Known first as a former actor, Schwarzenegger has chaired the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for administrations of both parties.
He has stepped away from politics since leaving the governor’s mansion. However, he’s become known as a self-starting philanthropist. He went viral in 2021 for donating 25 houses to homeless veterans in Los Angeles. He also maintains a fitness newsletter, encouraging his audience to help “make America lift again.”
Sponsored: Cholesterol drug linked to memory loss
Having left office in 2011, the “Governator” remains the last Republican to have won a statewide election in California.
Take a look —
Today, I celebrated Christmas early. The 25 homes I donated for homeless veterans were installed here in LA. It was fantastic to spend some time with our heroes and welcome them into their new homes. pic.twitter.com/2mHKfoZ65V
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) December 24, 2021
The Horn editorial team