Treasury’s Wolin Slams U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Reserves Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin brought his own dine to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — a knuckle sandwich.
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| Reserves Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin (AFP/Getty Metaphors) |
He repeatedly pounded the Chamber?s lobbying and publicity blitz against the White House?s financial regulatory overhaul, accusing them of being misleading, dishonest, and ?backward.?
He delivered his broadside standing on a podium within the U.S. Chamber while some of the group?s officials sat in nearby tables aghast at the pummeling.
?Despite the urgent and undeniable need for reform, the Chamber of Commerce has launched a $3 million publicity campaign against it,? Mr. Wolin said. ?That campaign is not designed to increase the House and Senate bills. It is designed to defeat them.?
He said the Chamber ?has an obligation to be honest? and invoked the organization?s name at smallest amount 16 era.
?As the tea party folks might say, ?read the bill,?? he said.
After the speech, which received a muted applause, Chamber chief executive Thomas Donohue stood up and called it a ?bit of a biased speech.? He countered that the White House didn?t object to the Chamber as a ?special interest? when the business group supported the stimulus plot or the government?s efforts regarding General Motors.
But ?we?re a special interest when we say we want a plot, we want it this year,? Mr. Donohue said. ?The constitution is very apparent on our right to raise our issues.?
It?s doubtful if all will settle down, but here?s betting that Mr. Wolin won?t be invited back over for dine any time soon.