Breakdown of infrastructure talks leaves Michiana bridge repairs in limbo

NOW: Breakdown of infrastructure talks leaves Michiana bridge repairs in limbo
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Infrastructure talks broke down at the White House Wednesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Trump was engaged in a cover-up. The president now refusing to broker an infrastructure deal until the Democrats end their investigations into his administration.

Congress has not been able to pass a major infrastructure bill for several years – even before President Trump took office. As the president entered the Rose Garden – it was clear a deal is not in the near future.

"I walk in to look at people that have just said that I was doing a cover-up," said the President. "I don't do cover-ups."

The president abruptly ended the scheduled infrastructure talks with Democrats after these comments from Speaker Pelosi .

"We believe that the President of the United States is engaged in a cover up," Pelosi told reporters.

Inside sources say, the President entered the cabinet room without shaking a single hand, instead lashing out at them, saying he wouldn’t work with them until they ended all investigations.

"I told Senator Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, 'I want to do infrastructure. I want to do it more than you want to do it, but you know what? You can't do it under these circumstances." said the President. "So, get these phony investigations over with."

"To watch what happened in the White House would make your jaw drop," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Now many of the nations bridges already in poor condition will remain without funding needed to make repairs.

A report released last month by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association estimated 1,203 Indiana bridges were structurally deficient and 1,196 in Michigan.

The combined cost to repair them estimated to be more than $3 billion.

Wednesday's talks were suppose to be about how to fund a $2 trillion infrastructure plan the President agreed to last month. The plan would have helped with some of those costs.

Now Speaker Pelosi sounding much less optimistic a deal will ever be reached.

"I pray for the president of the United States and I pray for the United States of America," said Pelosi.

ABC57 reached out to the southwest regional office of MDOT to see if this would have any immediate or long term impact on road projects there. A spokesperson said they were not aware of any at this time.

INDOT did not get respond to a request for a comment.

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