Submitted by Tom on Thu, 2010-03-04 08:10
The DCCC asks: Will Representative Tom Latham Release Requests for Recovery Funding that He Opposed?
More than half of Republicans in the House of Representatives have been caught hypocritically claiming credit for economic recovery funding in their district even though they opposed it in Washington. Voters deserve to know whether their Representative is doing the same thing in Washington that they are doing in their district. Representative Tom Latham must release all requests to federal agencies requesting Recovery Act funds, including letters and other correspondence.
“Given that more than half of House Republicans have now been caught hypocritically attacking recovery efforts in Washington and then trying to take credit in their districts for the funding, voters deserve to know where Representative Tom Latham really stands,” said Ryan Rudominer, National Press Secretary of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Times are tough, without the Recovery Act nearly four million more Americans would be out of work today. Representative Tom Latham must make his actions transparent and release all requests for Recovery Act funds. Iowa voters deserve to hear the truth from Representative Latham.”
Background
* The DCCC’s Republican Hypocrisy Hall of Fame has now grown to 91 Members, which is more than fifty percent of the entire House Republican conference. These Members have been caught trying to celebrate the benefits of projects they voted against by attending ribbon cuttings, requesting funds in private letters, or other ways. Click here to visit the DCCC’s House Republican Hypocrisy Hall of Fame. * The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, in a report, confirmed the beneficial impact of the Recovery Act. CBO said that in the fourth quarter of last year, 1.4 million to 3 million jobs were either created or retained as a result of the stimulus. In the first quarter of this year, CBO expects as many as 3.9 million jobs will be created or retained. [CBO, 2/23/10] * Even the conservative anti-tax group Club for Growth noted, “It’s pretty hypocritical for someone to be against the stimulus and then walk around handing out big checks,” said Andrew Roth, vice president of public affairs for the conservative anti-tax group Club for Growth. “I think Republicans who did that should be worried.” [Politico, 1/28/10]