Published: 11-21-08
Washington DC - House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter (TX-31) made the following statement today after Chairman Henry Waxman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee defeated incumbent Chairman John Dingell as head of the House Energy & Commerce Committee.
“Today’s action by the Democratic Caucus to replace Chairman John Dingell on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is just another unfortunate example of how Speaker Pelosi plans to implement her liberal agenda” Carter said.
“Though we sit on different sides of the aisle Chairman Dingell is someone who has been a leader in the House for over fifty years has a record of working with both sides of the aisle and is someone I greatly respect. However Speaker Pelosi would rather have someone more in line with her liberal views than a moderate Democrat who is respected in both parties.”
“While Democrats claim to govern from the center they showed their true cards today. Chairman Dingell cared about jobs and served the American people not serving Speaker Pelosi.
Chairman Waxman is a tax and spend liberal from Beverly Hills who has a reputation on the Hill as a grandstander and headline chaser which makes him a perfect representative for the celebrities of Hollywood but not as chairman of a powerful committee that overseas legislation ranging from energy to healthcare.
Given the current state of the economy a tax and spend liberal in the mold of Speaker Pelosi is not the kind of person we need as chairman of one of the most powerful committees in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Incumbent Chairman John Dingell was defeated in his quest to continue as Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee by a vote of 137-122 held by the House Democratic Caucus.
