Essex, CT - Over the past several months, Congressman Joe Courtney has been touting his vote on the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) as proof of his independent voting record in Congress during the last two years. And it's true: Congressman Courtney did oppose the TARP program in October 2008 when it first passed.
But what the incumbent Congressman fails to note is that when it came time to expand the TARP program for Detroit's automakers, Mr. Courtney voted his party line on two occasions. On December 12, 2008, he voted for the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, which passed the House of Representatives by a 237-170 vote.
On January 21, 2010, Rep. Courtney voted for the TARP Reform and Accountability Act, which explicitly authorized the inclusion of automakers into the bailout program as well as other new areas of the economy.
"Congressman Courtney votes his party line 98.1% of the time," said challenger Janet Peckinpaugh. "His opposition to the bailouts is undermined by his votes in favor of bailouts. The incumbent's rhetoric doesn't reflect his record."
Peckinpaugh also noted the irony of Congressman Courtney touting the TARP vote in this election season though he voted against it before the 2008 elections. "Congressman Courtney voted with his party leadership 1504 times over the last two years and against them just 30 times," continued Peckinpaugh. "It's no wonder that he has to go all the way back to October 2008 to find an 'independent' vote."
