US Rep. Ashley Hinson compared the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to socialism, but that didn’t stop her from taking credit for funds from the legislation that she voted against.
The US Army Corps of Engineers allocated $829.1 million from the infrastructure bill to modernize the lock and dam system on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The Mississippi River runs alongside a portion of Hinson’s congressional district.
In sharing a press release from her office about the project, Hinson tweeted “BREAKING: We secured $829 million in federal funding to upgrade locks & dams along the Upper Mississippi River.”
BREAKING: We secured $829 million in federal funding to upgrade locks & dams along the Upper Mississippi River. This is game-changing for Iowa’s agriculture industry & our Mississippi River communities! https://t.co/4rql7Y8oft
— Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) January 19, 2022
While it is true Hinson has advocated for targeted infrastructure updates on Iowa’s waterways, the Republican freshman legislator not only voted against the infrastructure act that’s funding the Mississippi River project, she slammed it as “Washington Gamesmanship” when it passed.
“Too often in Washington, the potential for important, bipartisan policy is torpedoed by partisan politics,” Hinson said in a Nov. 8 release. “The need to make meaningful investments in our nation’s real infrastructure—roads and bridges, locks and dams, and broadband—was sacrificed to advance a partisan, socialist spending spree.”
The release came three days after Hinson voted “no” and delivered a floor speech in the US House criticizing the bill. Hinson also compared the infrastructure bill to Marxism in her Nov. 8 press release.
“It’s the biggest leap toward socialism this nation has ever seen—it takes the Marxist ideology that once only existed in textbooks and makes it law in the United States of America,” she said.
Hinson, who is up for reelection in the fall, is being challenged by Democrat Liz Mathis to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. Mathis, an Iowa state senator, called out Hinson’s news release as an attempt to “mislead Iowans.”
“Despite Ashley Hinson’s attempt to claim credit for this much-needed investment, she voted against the bill that made it possible,” Mathis said. “This is yet another example of Ashley Hinson claiming that she supports investments that benefit Iowans, but voting along party lines against their best interests in Washington. Iowa’s 2nd District deserves a representative who will work across the aisle to pass legislation and secure funding that directly benefits the district she represents.”
Of Iowa’s six federal delegates, only Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley voted in favor of the infrastructure bill.
The Infrastructure act will allocate about $5 billion to Iowa and is expected to create a plethora of good-paying jobs.
According to a White House fact sheet, over five years Iowa will receive $3.4 billion for roads, $638 million for water-quality projects, $432 million for bridge repair and replacement, $302 million for public transportation, $120 million for airports, $100 million for broadband, $51 million for an electric vehicle charging network, and more.
by Ty Rushing
01/19/22
9 Comments on "Hinson Takes Credit for Infrastructure Funds She Labeled as ‘Socialist,’ Voted Against"
The hypocrisy of the Republican party is no surprise. We must continue to call them out thank you Liz Mathis. Also, why doesn’t Rep. Hinson understand the fact that there is always a record of what she says and how she votes. Wondering.
So sad to see her need to take credit for something she did not vote for. Getting things done means working with all types or people and politics. Maybe next time she can drop her own partisanship? The infrastructure deal funds projects across the country. Without distraction of the partisan divide, red vs blue. Wish she could step up and work for all Iowans and all Americans.
I’m wondering how the voters will spin this to make democrats/Biden look bad and blame them.
Republicans are against these bills but love to take credit when democrats push them through anyways. If she was a real bootstrappy maverick she would reject the funds and tell her people to just eat gravel.
The new GQP mantra: Lie, cheat, steal. Rinse. Repeat. They no longer have any shame. Trump taught them the news cycle is so viral that nothing truly sticks anymore. The Republican Party is the anti-democratic party. They don’t believe in democracy anymore and just worship the Donald. Fortunately, the Jan. 6 Select Committee’s work is going to bring this house of cards down. And guess what, Iowans, Grassley is one of the traitors. He was ready to assume the role of VP (had Pence not returned after the insurrection) and initiate the Green Bay Sweep. Vote him out this Fall.
Because people don’t read.
Same ol republican tricks stand for nothing take credit for it all
The logical thing to do would be to deny funds to areas that vote against them. Why encourage hypocrisy?
Apparently, a lot of Republicans who voted against the infrastructure bill have gone home and claimed responsibility for bringing infrastructure dollars to their states. Did any of them REALLY think the media wouldn’t catch on??? Thanks, Ty, for the article. Sad to see that hypocrisy is also in Iowa.
Denying funds to areas where members of congress did not vote for them is distasteful to Democrats. And Republicans would characterize the Biden administration as vindictive!