Van Hollen singles out potential GOP chairmen as a reason to vote Dem

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) singled out Republican House members who could ascend to the top committee positions as a convincing reason why Americans should vote for Democrats in November.

Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, pointed to the potential GOP leaders of the House Energy and Commerce and Budget committees as reasons a Democratic majority is preferable to a Republican one.

{mosads}”You know, if you look at who would be the chairman of the Energy Committee if the Republicans took over, he’s the guy who apologized to BP when the president wanted to hold BP accountable,” Van Hollen said Sunday on “Face the Nation.”

He was referring to Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

However, Barton is ineligible to chair the committee due to term limits in Republican Party rules. Barton is widely expected to apply for a waiver, but many observers are skeptical the GOP leadership would grant him that.

His controversial remarks during a hearing with a BP official, which were interpreted as sympathetic to the company, might make him less likely to receive a waiver from his party, observers say.

Van Hollen also pointed to the potential chairman of the House Budget Committee as a reason to back the Democrats.

“If you look at the guy who would be the head of the Budget Committee if the Republicans took over, he’s the architect of the plan to privatize Medicare and Social Security,” he said.

The comment refers to the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.), who published a budget proposal this year as an alternative to Democratic measures.

Van Hollen also said the possibility of House GOP Leader John Boehner ascending to speaker is another reason to support Democrats, accusing him of having close ties to Wall Street.

“John Boehner, who would be the Republican leader, he’s the guy that huddled with the Wall Street lobbyists to kill Wall Street reform and now has said that he wants to repeal Wall Street reform,” Van Hollen said.

“Well, they will be popping the champagne bottles on Wall Street if these guys get elected,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that, as will all the other big special interests.”