Gardner screws up Markey’s record

Republican challenger Cory Gardner on Tuesday released a new ad that criticized incumbent Rep. Betsy Markey for "voting for the most fiscally irresponsible budget in history."

But Markey was among a handful of House Democrats to vote against the fiscal year 2010 budget, and she did so twice, according to the roll call votes mentioned in Gardner's ad.

Markey "felt the proposed budget was far too large, and did not include deep enough spending cuts from each of the federal departments," campaign spokesman Ben Marter said.

Gardner campaign spokesman Rachel Boxer said Markey was trying to "change the subject" to distract voters from her support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

But the two votes cited in the ad – roll call votes 192 and 216 from 2009 – were among the occasions that Markey broke with Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership, congressional records show.    – More -