Politics

Car Czar: ‘I Did it All for the Unions’?

Car Czar: I Did it All for the Unions?

AP


A Congressional oversight committee has asked Ron Bloom, White House advisor and former ‘car czar,’ to clarify his response to a question during a recent hearing. Bloom was asked whether he made the statement “I did it all for the unions” back in 2009 in the middle of the auto bailout controversy. He vehemently denied saying it.

The problem is, Bloom’s denial contradicts two otherwise credible sources, including a book written by his car czar predecessor, Steve Rattner, and a published account in the Detroit News. Both claim that Bloom did in fact make the comment in question, though both accounts also agreed that it was made in jest.

Here is video from the June 22 Oversight hearing showing the exchange. Representative Burton clearly disbelieves Bloom’s fervent denials:

And in this clip, we have a longer discussion that gives context to the Oversight hearing, and the reasons why saying I “did it all for the Unions” would be quite unfunny to a huge swath of the country. It seems not only did Bloom, as the Obama administration’s car czar, take money from bondholders and hand it directly to the Unions — the decision was also made to slash and burn salaried employee benefits while giving strangely deferential benefits to the Unions in the middle of a bankruptcy.

Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee,  is not letting this whole comment fiasco slide. He wants clarification and sent Bloom the following letter outlining his verbal exchange during the Committee:

Dear Mr. Bloom:

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee considers the veracity of witness testimony essential to conducting serious oversight of the federal government and how taxpayers’ dollars are spent.

We want to give you an opportunity to clarify a series of statements you made under oath before the Committee’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending on June 22, 2011, if necessary. During that hearing, you had the following exchange with Representative Dan Burton:

Rep. Burton: Well, did you say this at a dinner? There was a dinner and it was reported by David Shepardson, Washington correspondent for the Detroit News. At a farewell dinner of the Auto Task Force held in the restaurant Rosa Mexicano in late July 2009 that you allegedly said “I did this all for the unions.”

Mr. Bloom: No I did not say that.

Rep. Burton: You didn’t say that?

Mr. Bloom: No sir.

Rep. Burton: So, you were misquoted?

Mr. Bloom: That’s correct.

Rep. Burton: Well, I’m going to call that guy up and ask him if you said that. You know that you are under oath here?

Mr. Bloom: I’m fully aware.

Rep. Burton: You made no comment like that at all?

Mr. Bloom: No sir.

Despite your five denials, two independent sources documented you saying these words. Davide Shepardson wrote in the Detroit News on November 24, 2009, that you said you “did this all for the unions.” Furthermore, Steven Rattner – your former boss at the Auto Task Force – wrote in Overhaul: An Insider’s Account of the Obama Administration’s Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry, that at a “celebratory dinner” at Rosa Mexicano on July 21, 2009, that you said “I did this all for the unions!”

It appears that either a respected reporter and your former boss in the Obama Administration have both given inaccurate accounts of your comments to the public, or your testimony was not completely truthful. Therefore, if you would like to amend or clarify your testimony for the record, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Darryl Issa

Dan Burton

Jim Jordan

Comments (244)

1 2 3 ... 8
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:05pm

    Who do these people think they are? They’ll get theirs in the end.

    Report Post »  
  • RepubliCorp
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:00pm

    salary employees didn’t block vote for the Charlatan ……….might of had a little to do with it

    Report Post » RepubliCorp  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:59pm

    Follow the money- the answer is staring at you. Money taken FROM the shareholders and Taxpayers and GIVEN to the Unions. Was it a joke to anyone? — Case closed!

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • I.Gaspar
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:59pm

    BigBro,
    I agree regarding Holder.
    We have to wait until 2012 to rebuke obama, but someone in government MUST have the b*lls to go after holder, a man who makes a mockery of his position.

    Report Post »  
  • DaveOregon
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:59pm

    Of course he did it for the unions. And what’s this crap about the auto bankruptcy??THERE WAS NO BANKRUPTCY! It was a deal worked out by the WH and the unions. The bond holders, non-union employees, and the stock holders got SCREWED without even a kiss!

    Report Post »  
  • tige33
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:59pm

    Why can;t those bond holders get a civil action against these crooks. They clearly stole money from them. We all saw it unfolding as Obama was lying to us about the takeover. This quote has to be on tape somewhere. Finding it could be the prob.

    Report Post » tige33  
  • elphi43
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:58pm

    Liar, liar, pant on fire! If only it was that easy…

    Report Post » elphi43  
  • Educated American Patriot
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:58pm

    Perry | Bachmann 2012

    Report Post »  
  • Greenwood
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:56pm

    Mr Bloom…………this is the guy that said he agreed with Mao that real power comes from the barrel of a gun. Look and see who Obama surrounds himself with.

    Report Post » Greenwood  
    • keithmobile73
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:57pm

      yes

      Report Post » keithmobile73  
    • cassandra
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:54pm

      Greenwood you got that right obummer surrounds himself with unions and muslims what a great travesty for our country go to MichCapCon.com and you will see what the teachers union and UAW have done to Mi.

      Report Post »  
  • keithmobile73
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:56pm

    they dont cut the union employees like the other employees because the union dues

    Report Post » keithmobile73  
  • Badler
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:53pm

    Bet this administration could say a lot of stuff ‘in jest’, nudge nudge, wink wink,

    All of your money is just taxes we haven’t collected yet. Ha Ha.

    We’ll close a bunch of US auto manufacturers so to help our investment, Ha Ha.

    We’ll get rid of the space program to remove American exceptionalism for one thing. Ho Ho.

    Report Post »  
  • bigbro
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:51pm

    Nothing is going to happen to these crooks until Holder is gone. What happened to the voting problem with the black panthers?

    Report Post »  
    • artistskeptic
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:44pm

      Holder is absolute ignorant skum, why there has been no organized effort to remove him is beyond me.

      Report Post »  
  • RedWhiteandBlueUniverse
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:50pm

    Unions are cancer to America. The UAW now owns the shares of GM and Chrysler that once rightlfully belonged to people (like you and me) that paid for them. This is a clear violation of the constitution so where is the rage?

    Dissolve all unions. They can be employee owned companies or franchises, contractors, employee leasing agencies, etc. and compete for survival like the rest of us in the free market.

    Report Post » RedWhiteandBlueUniverse  
    • James
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:54pm

      GM and Chrysler like any other business in our free enterprise system that goes broke for any reason has the right to file for bankruptcy reorganization, which would have been the rightfull way to settle their economic issues. The UAW was not, is not entitled to anymore than that, period, if you work for a company that goes under, you were a part of that event, in some measure large or small you contibuted to their demise, unless, of course, you are a socialist, then you take no personal responcibility for your work ethic and blame it on some else. I fully remember these companies building inferior autos for years, crease lines, hoods and trunks didn’t even match up. The UAW worker was a part of that kind of construction, like it or not.

      Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:59am

      I dislike unions vehemently, but how is it unconstitutional for union members to own company stock, precisely? The bailout was unconstitution, granted, but that didn’t seem to be your point.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • the hawk
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:49pm

    They worship at that alter ! It is Their religion ! !
    But instead off passing the plate, they take in from us involuntary !

    Report Post »  
  • jim
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:45pm

    Unions bought this president, unions own this president, unions got rich off of the bailouts.

    Report Post » jim  
  • eat-more-bacon-USA
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:44pm

    Is there anyone connected to the Barry Hussein‘O administration who doesn’t “(do) it all for the unions”? Mob Boss Barry, his personal Mafia and his domestic-terrorist “unions” will destroy America if we let them; It is up to us, the American People, to stop them.

    Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
  • Contrarian51
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:42pm

    If both sources say that he said it in jest, then it’s about as weighty as when Ralph Macchio said “I shot the clerk” in My Cousin Vinny, unless you’re just trying to get even for Scooter Libby. The whole Government Motors thing was a scam but is this the key aspect? And “…get a rope….” Really? No wonder the lefties think this place is a forum for right wing crazies.

    Report Post »  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:19pm

      @Contrarian51
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:42pm
      If both sources say that he said it in jest, then it’s about as weighty as when Ralph Macchio said “I shot the clerk” in My Cousin Vinny, unless you’re just trying to get even for Scooter Libby. The whole Government Motors thing was a scam but is this the key aspect? And “…get a rope….” Really? No wonder the lefties think this place is a forum for right wing crazies.
      ********
      I have a friend who’s head cashier at a local supermarket, when this hit she was counting the days til retirement at 65 (less than 1 mo. to go) A union foodworkers union employee at the time of the bailout, she’d starting working at 14 and always worked even while raising kids, her retirement was mostly invested in GM, her fundmanager called her in and said, “The Pres. is calling us selfish for wanting $0.17on the dollar, at this point, you can work til 78 and hope to earn it back, or take partial retirement and work until 70 or 72.” She’s no right wing whacko, but a very disallusioned union member! AND STILL WORKING!

      Report Post » Mil Mom  
    • Contrarian51
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:40am

      MIL MOM, I saw your reply to my post. I will argue with nothing you said but have no idea what the relevance is to what I posted. My point was that folks are posting stuff here in language that makes Chris Matthews sound normal. Rope, tar and feathers, and just for good measure, a watermelon reference. Is that really the level of discourse you people want to have here?

      Report Post »  
    • Grady Curve
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:53am

      Just so you know where WE stand…. This country used to HANG Traitors and now we have a government full of them on nothing is being done, so YES Get a ROPE…These people will not give up their power without a fight… the first 150 years this country was ran by its citizens, and then the political elite has risen to power, shredded the constitution and now have the mentality that we are their slaves… NO MORE

      Report Post » Grady Curve  
    • CWS FAN
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:56am

      You are aboslutely correct. The Liberal pukes show this moronic input to their middle of the road friends to convince them that Conservatives & Tea Party boosters are knuckle draggers in camo clothing who can’t be trusted to run this great republic.

      Report Post »  
    • SovereignSoul
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:29pm

      Mil Mom
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:19pm
      @Contrarian51
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:42pm
      If both sources say that he said it in jest, then it’s about as weighty as when Ralph Macchio said “I shot the clerk” in My Cousin Vinny, unless you’re just trying to get even for Scooter Libby. The whole Government Motors thing was a scam but is this the key aspect? And “…get a rope….” Really? No wonder the lefties think this place is a forum for right wing crazies.
      ********
      I have a friend who’s head cashier at a local supermarket, when this hit she was counting the days til retirement at 65 (less than 1 mo. to go) A union foodworkers union employee at the time of the bailout, she’d starting working at 14 and always worked even while raising kids, her retirement was mostly invested in GM, her fundmanager called her in and said, “The Pres. is calling us selfish for wanting $0.17on the dollar, at this point, you can work til 78 and hope to earn it back, or take partial retirement and work until 70 or 72.” She’s no right wing whacko, but a very disallusioned union member! AND STILL WORKING!
      _________________________________-

      According to many of the posters, your friend got what she deserves since she is part of the problem. Union Foodworker–she should be ashamed of herself! Unions are EVIL. Just ask anyone who worked in an automotive plant in 1935.

      Report Post » SovereignSoul  
  • IAMNOTKNOWING
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:38pm

    Darryl Issa for Attorney General!!

    Bachman/Cain 2012

    John Bolton Secretary of State

    Report Post » IAMNOTKNOWING  
    • studentofeib
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:51pm

      That would get my vote!!! Regardless of headliner,, John Bolton as Sec. o. State would be a sight to behold…and send fear to our enemies!!

      Report Post » studentofeib  
    • Spqr1
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:53pm

      Issa is a criminal, he’s a car thief and an arsonist,, try again sheeples….

      Report Post »  
    • Ella
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:12am

      I agree with your choices. However, I am concerned that the villan in charge and his cronnies will have done too much damage by then.

      Report Post »  
    • jakartaman
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:42am

      I like it!!!

      Report Post »  
    • NJTMATO
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:31am

      @ iamnotknowing……….I’ve been thinking of a “dream ticket” too….yours comes pretty near to mine…and how about Ron Paul as Secretary of the Treasury?

      Report Post » NJTMATO  
    • RichNGadsden
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:57am

      Would love to see somebody like Issa as AG, but we can’t take the chance of Gov Moonbeam replacing him with a Pelosi inspired liberal. Hehehe, Bolton would make an excellent Secretary of State!

      Report Post » RichNGadsden  
    • Vigilante
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:15am

      @IAMNOTKNOWING

      Darryl Issa for Attorney General!!
      Bachman/Cain 2012
      John Bolton Secretary of State
      ———————————————
      This in my ticket!!!

      Report Post » Vigilante  
  • grandmaof5
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:37pm

    They all think screwing the American people and the economy is done in ‘jest’. That was just one more program that failed, one of many, that this administration tried. And…you can bet it was done for the unions!

    Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:42am

      Grandma I hardly think it was done in jest I think that Beck hit that nail on the head with the cloward and pivens theory. And I think without a doubt that Obama is saying he wants to save the economy while he’s destroying it. What I don‘t Obama and his cronies don’t comprehend is the average American citizen and the strong feeling of independence we charish more than life itself..
      Better to die free than to live as a slave.

      It‘s always easy to spot the lemmi’s they are the ones who always look to someone else to save them. They always place blame on the inventors of fire and not those who misuse it.
      .

      Report Post »  
    • Amren
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:06am

      @ grandmaof5, I seem to remember that the Nazis thought sending the Jews to the ovens was funny, too.

      Report Post » Amren  
  • Uncurable wound
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:36pm

    come on guys,its not like he murdered his child…
    I try to laugh so I dont cry…

    Report Post »  
    • ItsMeAgainMartha
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:14am

      No he didn’t.
      But he is starving many right in this country while you pay for his $300.00 Kobie steaks at lavish parties for his criminal buddies.
      Also what medical care under his stupid idea?

      Looks like Chicago has annexed the whole United States.
      Did someone say Obama Bin Lyin’s grand father is Al Capon?

      Report Post »  
  • 65Mustang
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:35pm

    SPANKDAMONKEY:
    I agree with you totally…make sure Obama is included.

    Report Post »  
  • tom
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:35pm

    Big Gov.The White House released its annual salary report last week, and as usual, it’s nice to work for Barack Obama: Most staffers who were there for more than a year got a salary bump. A bigger one than you did. So Obama lied to us and only one Republican had the b…s to call him what he is: A LIAR! Vote the liar out in 2012.

    Report Post » tom  
    • JRook
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:43am

      Both claim that Bloom did in fact make the comment in question, though both accounts also agreed that it was made in jest. Ok so what is the story here. Given the reaction it was obviously a good joke. Doesn’t Congress have some real work to do.

      Report Post »  
    • Celexa
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:53am

      Amen

      Report Post » Celexa  
    • rosegrower
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:53am

      Obama as president (small “P” is purposeful) reminds me of Coleman Young as mayor of Detroit. He loaded his administration with cousins, wives, girlfriends and deadbeat friends who all looted the public till. He fired the only honest person on staff – a white auditor who saw all of the misappropriations going on – on the basis that he was a “racist.” The Treasury had better lock everything up, and someone better be appointed to check the Bamster’s pockets (as well as those of his friends, visitors and family) when they are escorted out of the White House in January 2013.

      Report Post »  
  • Whostolemypig
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:31pm

    Of course he said it. He’s just like the rest off this criminal Obama crowd.

    Report Post »  
    • GulfPeg
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:32am

      The administration is like Casey Anthony with their lies. I have had it with them and their dishonesty. Watch it because Romney seems to be the exact same way!

      Report Post »  
  • Paige
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:29pm

    Duh!!

    Report Post » Paige  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:27pm

    .
    Somebody get a rope……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • Jarski
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:41pm

      Typical Obama administration lacky.

      Report Post » Jarski  
    • BuckOfama
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:04pm

      Word…….

      Report Post »  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:30pm

      Why the H E L L do we need a Car Czar????

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:43pm

      I’ll bet my bottom dollar he DID say that, because that’s exactly what they did. And if you look into the coming, so called, ‘Green economy’, you’ll see UNION JOBS written all over it. Look at the ridiculous ‘Fast Train’ projects, and you’ll again see UNION JOBS written all over that.

      Back during the times of the stimulus and the Obamacare fighting, I started trying to research the people behind different things. I found either a paper, or an article that actually was a part the DESIGN for single payer health care in America by USING THE AUTO INDUSTRY MEDICALS AND THE UNIONS TO FORCE IT. But, as I was finding a lot of things at that time, I lost track of it, and could never find it again.

      I believe if people started really researching, scouring everything out there, this paper, and probably other’s like it could be found.

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • The10thAmendment
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:22pm

      The Obama Administration Creed.

      “If you ain‘t lyin’, you just ain‘t tryin’”

      Report Post » The10thAmendment  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:23pm

      re : The Obama Administration Creed.

      “If you ain‘t lyin’, you just ain‘t tryin’
      **********
      Followed closely by, “No sluggards welcome!”

      Report Post » Mil Mom  
    • CatB
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:30pm

      Of course he and Obama did it all for the unions .. it certainly wasn’t for the TAXPAYERS who will be paying for it along with their children and grandchildren .. God these people are stupid or think we are!

      TEA!

      Report Post »  
    • its_time_to_arrest_our_government
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:43pm

      what will be said at his hanging is we are doing this for everyone you screwed. ka-chunk! the trap door drops. SNAP! goes his neck.

      Report Post »  
    • Skee
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:44pm

      Of course he did it for the unions. It’s called shoring up the base or buying votes.

      I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble
      for the safety of my country…corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the republic is destroyed.

      ABRAHAM LINCOLN

      Report Post » Skee  
    • Marci
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:50pm

      Employing the usual Barry Soetero method I see….”nope, never said it. Even if I am on video saying it, you just heard it wrong. Let me add that you are a racist and hate America. Conversation over.” Standard Operating Procedure for a leftist!

      Report Post » Marci  
    • C. Schwehr
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:42pm

      Why waste a perfectly good rope….just let his boss Barry push him under the bus too!

      Report Post »  
    • Hermen Sie Germen
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 3:41am

      “Great Success
      High Five
      Very Nice I Like You”

      All From Borat Applies Here

      Report Post » Hermen Sie Germen  
    • Enuff Zenuff
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 4:42am

      As an automotive engineer, I‘ve predicted for years that the Automakers would eventually have to go through bankruptcy to break the UAW’s stranglehold. That day finally came for GM and Chrysler – but to no avail – Instead of breaking the UAW chokehold, Obama stepped in and gave the UAW even more than it wanted – at Billions of dollars of taxpayer expense! It was one of the most shameless, corrupt, and unconstitutional political moves in history. Whether or not Ron Bloom said he did it for the Unions, the simple and obvious fact is that that’s exactly what happened!

      Report Post » Enuff Zenuff  
    • txbigfoot
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:19am

      put him on trial for lying to congress.
      There is less evidence on Clemmons and look what he gets.

      Report Post » txbigfoot  
    • mikem1969
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:03am

      We the people already know this was done for the unions and government control of private industry.

      Report Post »  
    • NotaLemming
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:27am

      Dope on a rope!

      Report Post » NotaLemming  
    • Pujols
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:49am

      Tell Me something I don’t know. OBAMA IS A HACK, CROOK, UNION LOVING THUG.

      Only 10% of the people are in a Union. The other 90% of us are paying for their BS.

      Report Post »  
    • drphil69
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:38am

      A rope is not good enough. How about a firing squad? There are at least a dozen that deserve it.

      Report Post »  
1 2 3 ... 8

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love