Rep. Barney Frank distributes ‘Little Punk Staffer’ buttons to Capitol Hill aides.

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/20/little-punk-staffer/

At an American Bankers Association summit last week, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) urged the bankers to fight financial reform. To make his point, he bashed people who work in Congress and called them “little punk staffers“:

“Don’t let those little punk staffers take advantage of you and stand up for yourselves,” Boehner said. “All of us are hearing from our friends and constituents on lack of credit, you can’t get a loan, the more your government takes and taxes, the more regulations you have to comply with the more cost you have there and less amount you are going to have available to loan to customers.”

White House National Economic Council Director Larry Summers fired back at Boehner, pointing out that the biggest problem in the financial system certainly isn’t that bankers do not have enough of a voice in the policy process. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) wrote Boehner a letter and called on him to apologize: “I am appalled that a Leader of the House, who must know what good work is done by our staffs, would take such an inaccurate cheap-shot at these people, for the purpose of ingratiating himself with bankers.” A House staffer told ThinkProgress today that Frank is now distributing “Little Punk Staffer” buttons to Hill aides, in a clear shot at Boehner’s insult.

[Hekate]

1. I love Barney Frank

:patriot:

[gateley]

2. Good for Barney! I'd proudly wear one! God I hate Boehner. nt

[JBoy]

3. Awesome!

If I were the Boner, I'd be afraid of the dirt these "little punk staffers" could dig up on him. They'll know where the orange spray-tan is buried.

[bobbolink]

8. Great point! Go staffers! ^_^ Except they are all very bizzzzy just trying to

do what has to be done to play games......its only The Bought And Paid For who have time on their hands....

[Mz Pip]

4. Memo to Boner

Don't play a game of chicken with Barney Frank. You'll lose every time. He's so much smarter than you and you just come off looking like an ass.

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Terrific move.

Good for him.

[Tippy]

6. I think Barney is on smart cookie...K&R

[boppers]

7. Broad-brush attack on Congressional staffers as a whole?

That'd never backfire, would it?

[felinetta]

9. I love Rep Franks! Now Boehner has to see these buttons everyday. Good.

[gmoney]

10. and I believe that's a union label at the bottom there

"Look for the union label, when you are buying your "Punk Staffer" badge..."