Texas Gov . Rick Perry is demanding an apology from a California newspaper that published a cartoon that seemed to link his push for less regulations to the recent fertilizer plant explosion that killed 14 . `` The Sacramento Bee published a disgusting 'cartoon ' mocking the deadly explosion in West . While I will always welcome healthy policy debate , I wo n't stand for someone mocking the tragic deaths of my fellow Texans and our fellow Americans . I have written the editor and asked that they apologize to the citizens of West , '' Perry wrote on his official Facebook page . An editor at the paper defended the cartoon . `` Jack Ohman 's cartoon of April 25 made a strong statement about Gov . Rick Perry 's disregard for worker safety , and his attempts to market Texas as a place where industries can thrive with few regulations , '' said Stuart Leavenworth , the paper 's editorial page editor . `` It is unfortunate that Gov . Perry , and some on the blogosphere , have attempted to interpret the cartoon as being disrespectful of the victims of this tragedy . '' Editorial Cartoonist Jack Ohman also responded to some reader criticism of his cartoon in a column Thursday . Ohman said he stood by the cartoon and listed many reasons he believes Perry 's policies deserve scrutiny . `` The Texas governor 's campaigning notwithstanding , should I have used the explosion as a vehicle to illustrate my point ? I did . I stand by it , '' Ohman wrote . The cartoon , published Thursday , shows Perry standing at a podium in front of signs about lower taxes and lower regulations proclaiming `` Business is booming in Texas . '' The next frame of the cartoon shows a huge explosion alluding to the April 17 fertilizer plant tragedy in West , Texas , that killed 14 people , injured up to 200 and destroyed more than 100 homes . Days after the cartoon was published , it was still drawing mostly negative responses on the Sacramento Bee website . The explosion created a crater nearly 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep , and devastated the small town . Officials are still trying to determine what caused the fire that lead to the explosion . Perry said he was offended the cartoon was published Thursday , the same day the governor , President Barack Obama and many others gathered for a memorial for the victims . `` Publishing this on the very day our state and nation paused to honor and mourn those who died only compounds the pain and suffering of the many Texans , '' Perry wrote .
` ` I ' n't stand for someone mocking the tragic deaths , '' he says . He says he stands by his work . The article was published the same day as the memorial for victims .