Jack & Jill Politics

from ThinkProgress:

Fox News’ Shep Smith Shames Coburn For Blocking 9/11 Bill: ‘This Is The Senator’ Blocking ‘Necessary Funding’
It appears even loyal Fox News has turned on Senate Republicans for their obstruction of the 9/11 first responders bill. Fox & Friends demanded the bill be passed; conservative guests have criticized Republicans’ opposition; and yesterday, host Shep Smith called out a dozen GOP senators by name who had refused to appear on his program to discuss the bill. Today, Smith zeroed in on Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who has said he will block the bill, even if it means 9/11 responders have to wait until next year for benefits. In an act of public shaming, Smith displayed a photo of Coburn as if it were a wanted poster, urging his viewers to get a good look at “the man who is vowing to slow this down or block it, so the necessary funding for the illnesses of the first responders…doesn’t make it through”:

SMITH: Again, this is the picture of Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma. He is the man who is vowing to slow this down or block it, so the necessary funding for the illnesses of the first responders who made it to Ground Zero to try to save lives on the day that America changed — remember? This is the senator who is vowing to block it. So that it doesn’t make it through. Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, the man who vows today to block or delay the 9/11 first responders bill despite the fact that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York say they have the votes to get it done.

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here’s the gutless wonder from Oklahoma

But appearing on Fox News this morning, Coburn defended his decision to obstruct the bill, saying he is upset with the process, and claiming that the bill was never considered by a congressional committee, and that there was never a hearing on it. Watch it:

Despite Coburn’s claim, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee did in fact hold a hearing on the bill in June — and Coburn should know as he sits on that committee.