January 23, 2009 06:09 PM UTC

Markey Votes NO On Bailout Release (Got That, NRCC?)

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• by: Colorado Pols

Not terribly consequential but still pretty funny, as the Greeley Tribune reports:

Rep. Betsy Markey voted Thursday to stop the release of more than $350 billion in federal money designed to bailout financial firms in America.

The money came as part of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program passed by Congress last year in an effort to save some firms from going under.

Markey, D-Colo., said in a release Thursday that she did not support the financial bailout last year and called for more accountability and oversight for American taxpayers.

The National Republican Congressional Committee sent a press release last week that said Markey reneged on her promise to oppose the bailout and voted to release the money. Markey did not, but she did vote for a House resolution Wednesday that would have attached more conditions on the bailout money. The Senate will not hear that resolution.

The resolution against releasing the funds passed 270-155, but was rejected last week by the Senate. The money is now available for the new administration to give to financial firms.

It’s refreshing to see the National Republican Congressional Commitee (NRCC) is its usual crack self. Would have been a shame to fire all those high-salary bumblers who got their asses handed to them last year.

What Markey voted for earlier this week was a package of oversight requirements from Rep. Barney Frank and popular among the many who believe the financial services bailout has been mismanaged so far. It’s moot because the Senate isn’t interested in those additional oversight provisions, deferring to President Obama’s pledge to essentially follow their requirements anyway.

But not only was the NRCC wrong about Markey’s vote, they were 180-degree stupid wrong, and Markey gets a chance amplify her symbolic votes as a result–which she’s done in news reports all over her district that mention her votes alongside the NRCC’s screwup. With enemies like these…