Headline
RNC Chairman calls Bush-era Republican Congressmen like Blunt ''enablers for big government''
For Immediate Release: January 5, 2010 Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125 RNC Chairman calls Bush-era Republican Congressmen like Blunt ''enablers for big government'' Criticisms Echo Comments Steele Made About Blunt in August Jefferson City, Mo - RNC Chairman Michael Steele is taking past and present Republican leaders to task for their failures over the past two decades. In particular, he takes aim at Republicans in Congress who allowed spending to rise from 2001-2004 and pushed through the $500 billion Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. [AP, 1/5/10] During those years, Congressman Roy Blunt was Majority Whip and second in command to now-disgraced House Majority Leader Tom Delay. In fact, RNC Chairman Michael Steele is questioning whether or not the GOP is ready to lead right now. [Hotline National Journal, 1/5/10] “Even the new Chairman of the Republican National Committee thinks Congressman Blunt took our country in the wrong direction when he had his chance in the leadership,” said Missouri Democratic Party Spokesman Ryan Hobart. “Both Republicans and Democrats can agree that Congressman Blunt is entrenched in the world of Washington insiders and lobbyists that created the mess we are in now.” This isn’t the first time Chairman Steele has criticized Republican Congressional leaders. His criticism of Republican leaders has even surfaced here in Missouri. In August, Steele went on the Vincent David Jericho radio show on KSGF in Springfield. During the course of the interview with Jericho, there was a lively exchange about the flaws of the Republican Party and Congressman Blunt in particular. In response to the criticism about Congressman Blunts ties to lobbyists and the direction he took the party as a Republican leader in the House of Representatives, Steele said: “… I mean, I agree with you. Look, when, when, when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out.” (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/steele-roy-blunt-should-be-cleaned-out-of-the-crapper.php) Jericho is no longer at KSGF, as former KY3 reporter Dave Catanese reported last week on BlogTalkRadio with Brad Belote: “I talked to some political people yesterday, and they, you know, they're hinting that this definitely had to do with his constant barrage of attacks on Congressman Roy Blunt and Mavis Busiek, the 7th District [Congressional Republican Committee] Executive Director. They're not saying that Roy Blunt got somebody fired, but they're saying that there was a build up there and that had to do something with him leaving.” Congressman Blunt doesn’t like folks calling attention to the facts about his record as a Washington insider and reckless spender, so will he send his Washington henchmen to force out Michael Steele as well? Congressman Blunt is running against State Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate. --30--
