Spending

Thirteen House Dems Vote With GOP To Defund Obama 'Czars'

Brian Beutler | February 17, 2011, 7:46PM

President Barack Obama

Thirteen Democrats bolstered the GOP's frame that several of President Obama's unconfirmed advisers are "czars" by voting for an amendment to the House spending bill that would defund their offices.

They are Reps. Dan Boren (D-OK), Ben Chandler (D-KY), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Pete DeFazio (D-OR), Gene Green (D-TX), Larry Kissell (D-NC), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Mike Ross (D-AR), and Heath Shuler (D-NC).

Read more »

Steny Hoyer

House Chairmen, Key Pelosi Allies Back Hoyer In Whip Race

Brian Beutler | November 9, 2010, 9:29AM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

A number of influential House chairmen, including key allies of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have signed a letter this morning endorsing Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in his race against Democratic Whip James Clyburn to be the new minority whip next Congress.

"Leader Hoyer is ready to hit the ground running as Democratic Whip," the chairmen write. "He is one of our party's most effective messengers, with the ability to challenge Republicans on the Floor, build support for our party's middle-class policies across America, and fight back against the special-interest money that played such an important role for Republicans in this election."

Like us, Congressman Hoyer
understands that Americans do not support the Republican agenda of repealing health care reform, loosening rules that protect consumers and our environment, privatizing Social Security, and funding tax cuts for the wealthy with billions of dollars in new debt.

Steny Hoyer is a tested leader who can help Democrats rise to the challenge of the next Congress, protect the interests of the middle class, and win back the majority. For those reasons, we support Steny Hoyer as our next Democratic Whip, and we hope that you will do the same.

Read more »

WV-03

GOPer: Dem Rep. Rahall (Who Is Arab-American) Is 'Good For The Middle East' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 21, 2010, 5:58PM

From a Spike Maynard campaign ad, "5 Things"

Spike Maynard, the Republican candidate against Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) has a new spot up that claims Rahall is tied to terrorism and that he is "good for the Middle East." This is all quite interesting when one considers that Rahall is Arab-American, a Christian of Lebanese descent.

"Five things you deserve to know about Nick Rahall," the announcer says. "He's taken campaign cash from a group with terror ties -- and from Alamoudi, now a convicted terrorist. Rahall helped Qatar, while his sister was a registered foreign agent for them. He brags, (video clip of Rahall) 'I happen to have been an early supporter of Barack Obama.' And Rahall voted for Obamacare. Nick Rahall -- good for the Middle East, good for Obama -- bad for America."

Read more »

WV-03

Conservative Group's Ad Attacks WV Dem -- For Heading Up Arab-American Group (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 4, 2010, 6:16PM

From a West Virginia Conservative Foundation ad, "Rahall, Obama and Arab Americans."

A conservative group is now attacking Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), with a new ad singling him out for having headed up a group for Arab-American supporters of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign.

As Amanda Terkel reports, the West Virginia Conservative Foundation's new ad shows video of Rahall, with scary-sounding music in the background. "Now I happen to have been an early supporter of Barack Obama...I campaigned with him in the hills of West Virginia. And I proudly chaired the Arab-Americans for Obama campaign nationwide group, dedicated to mobilizing Arab-Americans and bringing light to those issues we care about."

An announcer then cuts in: "Call Nick Rahall and tell him what you care about."

Read more »