On Tuesday, ThinkProgress broke the story of Rep. Joe Walsh’s (R-IL) unhinged pro-Wall Street rant, in which he shook his finger and yelled “don’t blame the banks” at a couple of constituents earlier this week. The constituents asked simply why banks have so much political power, and have been able to place lobbyists at the highest level of government. Yesterday, Walsh said his rant was caused by an “empty stomach.”
WLS-TV, ABC News’ Chicago affiliate, spoke with Melissa Rakestraw, one of the constituents berated by the freshman congressman. Rakestraw, who asked several thoughtful questions about bank regulation, said she was insulted when Walsh wouldn’t stop yelling into her face, even as she responded at one point, “please don’t yell at me because I’m not yelling at you.” The most offensive part of Walsh’s rant, however, wasn’t even his hysterical defense of Wall Street and corporate lobbyists. Rakestraw, a post office worker, said she was taken aback when she asked Walsh about how to save jobs like her own. Walsh replied bluntly, “I don’t care about the loss of public sector jobs.” Watch the WLS-TV report below:
As brazen as Walsh appears on tape, yelling at the top of his lungs that banks and hedge funds had no active role in creating the financial crisis, he acted shamelessly in the past. Walsh has earned the moniker as “the deadbeat congressman” for his refusal to pay $117,000 in child support.
According to WLS-TV, Walsh reportedly apologized to Rakestraw, but did not back away from any of his political views. “When we talk about creating jobs in this country,” said Walsh, “we are not talking about government jobs, we are talking about private sector jobs. That was the point I was trying to get across.”
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