Grayson Calls Lobbyist ‘K Street Whore’

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)
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Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) — the man best known for saying that the Republican health care plan is for Americans who get to “die quickly,” and for calling former Vice President Dick Cheney a vampire with blood dripping from his teeth — may have gone a bit too far in one of his latest rhetorical excesses, calling lobbyist Linda Robertson, who used to advise Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, a “K Street whore.”

The comments were made a month ago, when Grayson appeared on the radio show of right-wing talker Alex Jones, and was just discovered and circulated by the NRCC. “Here I am, the only Member of Congress who actually worked as an economist. And she’s, this lobbyist, this K Street whore, is trying to teach me about economics,” said Grayson.

Grayson spokesman Todd Jurkowski stood by the Congressman’s comments, telling the Orlando Sentinel in an e-mail: “She attacked the Congressman and his efforts to promote a Republican bill to audit the Federal Reserve. She actually questioned his understanding of the difference between fiscal and monetary policy. This is [a] person who used to be the chief lobbyist for Enron attacking the intelligence and motives of a Congressman who used to be an economist.”

The Politico reports that some of Grayson’s House Democratic colleagues are creating some distance from him in light of this. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) called the comment “inappropriate and unfair” to Robertson. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) was more blunt: “Is this news to you that this guy’s one fry short of a Happy Meal?”

NRCC spokesman Andy Seré released this statement: “Alan Grayson is a vile and vulgar man whose behavior brings shame to Central Florida on a near-daily basis. His continued insistence on belittling an accomplished woman with such an insulting remark is final confirmation – as if it was needed – that he has no business near the United States Congress or any other position of public trust.”

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