Congressman Mike Turner (OH-3) took issue with Vice President Biden’s comments that the loss of Delphi Salaried Retirees pensions did not come as a result of the auto bailout, and that the Administration doesn’t “control” the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
“I take considerable issue with the Vice-President’s naïve comments today. In fact, the President appoints the Director of the PBGC, and three of his Cabinet Secretaries sit on the PBGC Board of Directors. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner served three Presidentially directed and controlled roles in the Auto Bailout –Secretary of the Treasury, Chair of the Auto Task Force, and Board Member of the PBGC. All the while, Secretary Geithner sat back and oversaw a backroom deal to the detriment of Delphi Salaried Retirees across the country. Most recently, the Secretary of Labor’s Director of Recovery for Auto Communities suggested these retirees look for training programs when asked about what he could do to help the tens of thousands of retirees struggling after the Administration took their hard-earned pensions.
“Biden’s comments are par for the course with an Administration unbelievably unaware of the own their own decisions and the severe effects they have had across our county. It is inconceivable that those claiming victory could overlook the reality of the situation. People across Ohio and the United States are without the retirement benefits they rightfully earned and many more are without jobs. The next time the Vice President decides to campaign in Ohio, he ought to take the time to educate himself with the facts behind his Administration’s failed taxpayer-funded bailouts, and what it means for people left in their wake.”
Earlier this week Turner wrote to House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa to express his “serious concerns” with the refusal of former Auto Task Force members to meet or speak with the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) regarding their involvement in the unjust termination of Delphi retiree pensions.
NOTE: Read the letter from Turner here.
Three former Administration officials -Ron Bloom, Matthew Feldman, and Harry Wilson have refused to meet or speak with SIGTARP.
“SIGTARP believes that the Auto Task Force played a role in the pension decision and these individuals’ failure to speak with SIGTARP on this issue poses a significant obstacle to SIGTARP’s ability to complete it’s audit,” Special Inspector General Christy L. Romero wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
“These individuals earned taxpayer-funded salaries for taxpayer-funded actions, and are now denying those taxpayers the transparency and answers they deserve,” noted Turner.
Because SIGTARP does not possess testimonial subpoena authority, Turner requested the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform interview these individuals concerning the role they played in the decision to take the retirement and health benefits of Delphi Retirees.
NOTE: Read the letter from SIGTARP here.
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