Yesterday AL did a great job outlining how Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus, who’s been rumored to be a possible replacement for RNC Chairman Michael Steele, got caught in a blatant lie about Sen. Russ Feingold, and I thought I’d take a moment to add my own spin on things.
Shortly after the Import-Export Bank reconsidered its initial decision to deny approval of a deal to send Bucyrus-produced mining equipment to India, the RPW issued a statement attacking Sen. Russ Feingold for staying silent at the Bucyrus drama unfolded, with Priebus saying, “What’s really troubling in all of this is the silence of Senator Russ Feingold,” with the press release going on to note:
when the Bucyrus decision offered a clear-cut choice between private-sector jobs and a government decision standing in the way, Russ Feingold was nowhere to be seen, sending out only a timid statement after the fact.
However, while Reince Priebus and the RPW attacked Sen. Feingold for staying silent on the Bucyrus situation, the reality is that Sen. Feingold was actively involved in the situation, as noted by none other than Bucyrus CEO Timothy Sullivan, himself no liberal in his political leanings. In his letter to Priebus, Sullivan noted Sen. Feingold sent no less than two letters to the Chairman of the Import-Export Bank; one letter in support of Bucyrus prior to the Import-Export Bank’s initial vote and another after the vote asking the Bank to reconsider its initial decision.
Sen. Feingold’s Senate office also issued a statement outlining Sen. Feingold’s involvement in the Bucyrus situation, noting that Sen. Feingold was not “silent,” during the situation, as was asserted by Reince Priebus and the RPW:
“Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus is choosing to ignore the facts when it comes to Senator Feingold’s efforts on behalf of Bucyrus and hundreds of Wisconsin workers. On June 1, 2010, Senator Feingold wrote to the Export-Import Bank in support of the proposed loan guarantee that would benefit Bucyrus. After the Export-Import Bank’s initial rejection of the loan guarantee, Senator Feingold wrote Fred Hochberg, President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank, and called on the bank to reconsider its decision regarding to deny the loan guarantee. In his June 28 letter, Feingold wrote of the bank’s decision that it ‘would be tragic to miss this opportunity for bolstering employment.’
“Senator Feingold spoke again to Mr. Hochberg on June 30th and thanks to the efforts of Governor Doyle, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation and the White House, a deal was reached to reconsider the decision. Senator Feingold has, and will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of Wisconsin workers. While there can be disagreement on the issues, we should at least agree that we should be straight with the facts.”
I understand Reince Priebus is a political hack trying to tear down Sen. Feingold in an election year, but someone over at RPW headquarters ought to seriously consider bolstering the RPW’s research budget, lest Priebus be left looking like a complete and total boob in the future.
How do you know Tim Sullivan isn’t “liberal in his political leanings?”