Posts tagged Congress
Steve King Facts
Fact #5: New Jersey lawmaker responds to “Gucci bags and massage parlors” comment
Congressman King is once again in the national news for his outrageous statement that hurricane relief funds may go to “Gucci bags and massage parlors.” What do New Jersey lawmakers think of such extreme rhetoric? The Huffington Post reports on New Jersey Assemblywoman Connie Wagner’s reaction:
“One of the first thoughts that came to my mind was ‘well then we won’t help Iowa either!’” Wagner said in an email to HuffPost. “Iowa has floods, tornadoes, and drought, all these disasters are aided by the federal government on a more regular basis than hurricanes in New Jersey. But no Mr. King, these are the United States and it is our job to help each other when faced with devastating natural events.”
“Your views are so out of step with what our country should be doing I can’t believe you were elected once let alone are able to run for re-election,” she added.
She concluded that “for Iowa’s sake” she hopes Vilsack will win the election last week.
Once again it’s clear that Congressman King’s extreme rhetoric is reflecting poorly on Iowa and is not in line with the values we share. In less than a week, Iowans will have a chance to elect someone who will be a strong voice for them, not a liability.
Fact #6: Former Republican Lt. Governor Art Neu on Steve King
In today’s Des Moines Register, Rekha Basu writes on why Iowans should support Christie Vilsack, including what Vilsack supporter and former Republican Lt. Governor Art Neu has to say about King:
Attorney Art Neu of Carroll served as Iowa’s Republican lieutenant governor from 1973 to 1979. He calls King “a decent man” personally, intelligent and courteous. He has friends who are voting for King, but Neu doesn’t think King has served residents, saying, “He has concentrated more on carrying some conservative message to those beyond the district.”
When asked to help secure federal funding for a project, for example, King is known to say his Republican caucus took a position against earmarks, Neu says. But most disturbing for Neu is what he calls “the vitriol” coming from the congressman. Neu keeps a file. It includes these highlights, from his own notes and newspaper clippings:
King once declared at a meeting of the Greater Des Moines Partnership that Iowa needs to boost its fertility rate to increase workers. When Neu asked him how to do that, King said that in Singapore people cover their car windows with newspaper to block out what’s going on inside.
“That we took to mean they produce babies in their cars,” Neu said.
Congressman King’s extreme rhetoric is not serving his constituents well. The 4th District deserves someone who will be committed to their needs and who will be a strong advocate for them in Washington. Congressman King has not done that.
