Cong. Blunt Tries to Redefine Role in $700 Bailout

Just Weeks Before His Primary Election, Congressman Blunt Tries to Hide His Record of Wasteful Spending, Even Spends Resources on TV

This summer, Congressman Blunt is sweating more than just the July heat. Under fire from both sides of the aisle for his record of wasteful spending and specifically for his key role in shepherding the $700 billion Wall Street bailout through Congress, Blunt is trying to rewrite history. Last week, the Blunt campaign said "[Congressman Blunt] did not support a $700 billion bailout." However, Blunt has already been widely recognized as a "key negotiator" of the bailout package who not only voted for the bill, but took charge and worked people over to switch their votes in support of the $700 billion bailout with no accountability.

Recent news reports have stated that Washington insiders like Blunt are being "haunted" on the campaign trail by their bailout support and just this weekend the Kansas City Star said, "Blunt is a full-fledged member of the Republican insiders club . . . he was a chief architect of the $700 billion bank bailout bill." [NY Times 7/10/10; Kansas City Star, 7/9/10].

"Records don't lie - and all you need to do is look at Congressman Blunt's Washington record to know he was a key architect of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout," said Linden Zakula, Robin Carnahan's campaign spokesman. "You didn't hear Congressman Blunt correcting anyone back in 2008 when he was receiving credit from news organizations across the country as a key architect who twisted arms to shove a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street through Congress."

The Truth About Congressman Blunt's Record on the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout:

* Headline - "Blunt is Man in the Middle for Bailout Talks":On September 26, Congressional Quarterly described Blunt as "the newly designated lead negotiator for restive House Republicans in drafting a financial rescue plan." [CQ, 9/26/08]

* Headline--Blunt Leads House GOP in Bailout Talks. House Minority Leader John Boehner named Blunt to represent House Republicans during the ongoing financial rescue package negotiations. [Gannett News Service, 9/30/08]

* Blunt Key Negotiator On Financial Bailout Package. Blunt was a key House negotiator on the financial bailout package, working closely with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. CQ reported that "Hoyer said he and Blunt, who has emerged as the GOP leadership's point man in trying to get a recovery bill passed, had spoken by phone 'three, four five times today.' Blunt also spoke to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House aides said." [CQ Today, 10/1/08]

* Facing a "Massive" GOP Revolt - Boehner Appointed Blunt Chief Negotiator: After the bailout was defeated in the face of public outrage and opposition from his fellow Republicans, Blunt took the lead in convincing skeptical Republicans to support the package in advance of a second attempt to pass it. According to Roll Call: "Facing a massive revolt, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) resorted to a Lincolnesque 'team of rivals' strategy to recoup, appointing Minority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) as chief negotiator with Democrats." [Roll Call, 10/2/08]

* Blunt Helped Convince 26 Republicans to Switch Their Votes:As reported by the AP, "Blunt, the minority whip, worked with House leaders to persuade enough lawmakers to switch their votes to pass the legislation." [Washington Times, 10/4/08; AP, 10/3/08]

* MSNBC "No Republican Had A More Important Role" In Passing TARP Than Blunt: As reported by Tom Curry of MSNBC, "No Republican had a more important role two years ago in negotiating with Democratic leaders over the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and shepherding it into law than Blunt, who was then the House Minority Whip. Conservatives see TARP as the Wall Street bailout, the ultimate symbol of a domineering government taking an unprecedented role in managing the economy. House Republicans helped defeat TARP on the first vote on Sept. 29, 2008, with Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, calling it a 'step down the slippery slope to socialism.' Thanks to vote whipping by Blunt and others, TARP passed a few days later, with 26 Republicans switching their votes from 'no' to 'yes.'" [MSNBC, 5/28/10]