WASHINGTON- U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton should have been in Washington casting votes rather than attending a fundraiser in Houston on Wednesday night, the Democratic Party of Arkansas chairman said Friday.
Chairman Vincent Insalaco told reporters on a conference call that Cotton should have stayed in Washington to work on averting a shutdown of the federal government.
“Lo and behold, we find out he’s missed votes and packed up and left town,” Insalaco said.
The federal fiscal year ends Monday, and Congress has not passed legislation giving agencies authority to spend money, in part because some Republicans have tried to tie funding authority to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Unless an agreement is reached in time, many federal agencies and services will shut downTuesday morning, and millions of federal workers will be told to stay home.
The two missed votes did not pertain to the government shutdown.
Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle, is challenging U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, a two-term Democrat from Little Rock, inthe 2014 election. The race is being watched closely at the national level because some Republicans have tagged the seat as winnable, which would to help them gain a majority in the Senate.
Cotton spokesman Caroline Rabbitt confirmed that the congressman was at a fundraiser in Houston. She said the event had been planned when the House was scheduled to be out of session. Because of the chance of a shutdown, the House returned for votes Wednesday.
Rabbitt said the fundraiser was hosted by a friend of Cotton. She would not say who, except to say it was not a fundraiser by Club for Growth, the conservative group that helped elect Cotton in 2012.
Fundraising calendar website Politicalendar.com lists the $2,600-a-plate private dinner as occurring at a private residence. The contact person for the event, Erika Sather, is a former Club for Growth employee.
Rabbitt said the congressman was comfortable skipping the votes because he was told by House leaders that the legislation wasn’t “contested.”
“Tom is committed to maintaining a strong voting record,” she said. “He was assured that all of the votes Wednesday night would passeasily. Had there been a question about that, he absolutely would have come back.”
The two votes Wednesday were House Resolution 1961, which allows overnight passengers on wooden steamboats, passed 280-89 and House Resolution 527, which sets guidelines for the Federal Helium Reserve, passed 367-0.
Insalaco said Cotton should have been in Washington working behind the scenes to resolve the funding debate. “We’re not necessarily complaining about him just missing votes,” he said. “It’s about being there to make his opinions known. To not be there and present … is completely out of line.”
Rabbitt said the entire Senate is leaving close to the deadline, too. After sending legislation to temporarily fund the government back to the House on Friday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the Senate will not hold another vote until Monday. The House is to meet Saturday and possibly Sunday.
“There’s a large issue pending right now, and the Senate has left town,” Rabbitt said. “I think that’s irresponsible as well.”
Pryor said he heard the Senate may vote Sunday if the House takes action Saturday, so he did not fly home toLittle Rock.
“I feel like I’m on call this weekend,” Pryor said. “I don’t want to take a chance on that.”
Insalaco said the party isn’t asking Pryor, the only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, to pledge not to miss any votes because of fundraising events.
P ryor said he hasn’t skipped a vote to raise funds in his 11 years in Washington and doesn’t plan to do so during the 13 months before the 2014 election.
Front Section, Pages 3 on 09/28/2013