By Hunter Walker 2/28 5:00pm

Scare Quotes

A graphic representation of "Martian Meals" from Sen. Tom Coburn's "Wastebook." (Photo: Coburn.Senate.gov)

NRCC Says Obama’s Priorities Include ‘Martian Menus,’ ‘Robotic Squirrels’ and ‘Scaring American Families’

With the $85 billion in automatic so-called “sequester” budget cuts set to take affect tomorrow, the National Republican Congressional Committee has released a series of press releases blaming the situation on President Barack Obama’s fondness for “martian menus” and “robotic squirrels.” According to the NRCC, President Obama and House Democrats are more interested in funding wasteful programs and “scaring American families” than protecting the country from the impending, drastic cuts, so they highlighted a series of initiatives, including plans to develop food for astronauts and funding for a “Robosquirrel” used to research rattlesnake behavior. Several versions of the NRCC statement were released pairing President Barack Obama with different Democratic members of Congress.

“Most Americans will never get to order off the ‘Mars Menu’ that their taxpayer dollars are funding, but instead of cutting wasteful programs like that one, President Obama and Jim Himes are allowing cuts to important programs and services,” NRCC Communications Director Andrea Bozek said in the statement targeting Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes. “Rather than trying to scare Americans, Obama and Himes should agree to responsible cuts to wasteful Washington spending.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/26/12 2:50pm

attacks

(Photo: Twitter)

NRCC Hopes Obamacare’s Day in Court Will Help Sink Local Democrats

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm of the House Republicans, has been relentlessly focused on tying President Barack Obama’s health care reform legislation around the necks of at least two Democrats in recent weeks: Long Island Congressman Tim Bishop and Staten Island challenger Mark Murphy.

Since March 14th, the NRCC sent The Politicker no less than 13 press releases attacking the two Democrats on the issue with headlines such as “Bishop is Responsible for ObamaCare’s Broken Promises” and “With Obama in Hiding, Will Murphy Help House Dems Defend Government Healthcare Takeover?”

Most recently, the NRCC blasted out a statement connecting Mr. Murphy to the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments on a case against the bill today. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/28/12 6:05pm

spreading rumors

Gary Ackerman has insisted he's running for reelection. (Photo: Facebook)

NRCC: Gary Ackerman Will Retire [Update]

Over the weekend rumors emerged that Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman would not seek reelection in 2012. In response to these rumors, Mr. Ackerman tweeted, “Republican rumor mill is 100%, Absolutely Wrong. I’m running.” In an interview with Capital New York, he emphatically and repeatedly rejected this speculation as well.

But that’s not enough to convince the National Republican Congressional Committee. The organization sent out a statement this afternoon directly stating Mr. Ackerman will end up retiring.

“The question is not if but when Gary Ackerman is going to retire,” Nathaniel Sillin, the group’s regional press secretary, wrote. Read More