Hypocrisy Alert: Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart Plays Politics with American Troops

Taking hypocrisy and loyalty to the Republican leadership to a new level, Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart voted to defeat a bill to fund American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite claiming he supports our troops.

“Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart’s hypocritical vote to sabotage the war funding bill jeopardizes the safety of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Our troops don't have the luxury of abandoning the battlefield, like Representative Diaz-Balart did today,” said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “As our troops are bravely fighting the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, Representative Diaz–Balart cynically refused to take a stand on the war funding bill to make a political point. Our men and women honorably serving their country deserve better.”

BACKGROUND:

·  The First Amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Bill would have provided $183.7 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this amendment failed by a vote of 141-149 with 132 Republicans voting “Present.”  [HR 2642, #328 Clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll328.xml, 5/15/08]

·  All 132 Republicans who voted “Present” have supported measures to fund the war in Iraq, and have refused to support measures that bring about a timeline for a responsible redeployment.

o    [HR 1591, vote #186, 03/23/07; CQ House Action Reports.]

  o   [HR 1591, vote #265, 04/25/07]

  o   [HR 1591, vote #276, 5/02/07; CQ House Action Reports]

  o   [HR 2237, vote #330, 5/10/07, CQ House Action Reports]

  o   [HR 4156, vote #1108, 11/14/07, CQ House Action Reports.]