|
 |
 |
|
Rep. West: Geithner 'should move on' from Treasury job
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner should not have decided to stay on in his current post, Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said Monday.
"When you open that refrigerator door, the lights don't come on. I really think he should move on," West said on Fox News. "I don't think that Timothy Geithner really has a handle on the fiscal situation of the United States of America."
"I believe in this president, John. I believe in what he's trying to do for the country. I love my work. And I think if a president asks you to serve, you have to do it," said Geithner on Sunday in an interview with John Harwood on NBC News.
In the same interview, Geithner said the drawn-out debate in Congress on a debt-ceiling increase deal helped cause Standard & Poor's to downgrade the U.S.'s credit rating from AAA to AA+.
"I think it left people to wonder whether this political system was going to be up to the challenges facing the country," Geithner said. "It caused a lot of damage, and that's going to take a long time to heal that damage."
On Friday, the credit rating agency S&P downgraded the U.S.'s rating from AAA to AA+ in response to the final agreement legislators came to to raise the debt limit and reduce the deficit. S&P said it was "pessimistic" that Congress and the White House could reach a broader deficit-reduction agreement.
"I think S&P has shown really terrible judgment," Geithner said on CNBC.
More news from The Hill:
♦ Candidates face crucial test in Ames straw poll
♦ Freshmen brace for voters’ reactions back home during recess
♦ All eyes on markets after downgrade
♦ Hacker group Anonymous hits rural police websites
♦ After debt debate, healthcare is the topic for GOP lawmakers
♦ Montana senators float pipeline safety proposal
Watch West below.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
