Maloney: Exchange with Obama ‘All in Good Fun’
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney shared a CNN story on his exchange with President Obama on Facebook.
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney had a terse exchange with President Obama last week after asking about the status of a loan guarantee for a local project, according to media reports.
During a July 31 question and answer with Democratic congress members, Maloney (D-Cold Spring) asked Obama a question on the status of a federal loan sought by Montgomery-based Taylor Biomass Energy LLC, prefacing the question by mentioning it was probably something to be dealt with on the staff level, several news outlets reported. Obama reportedly replied that Maloney was right and should have spoken to his staff about it.
While some in the room felt the president was “rude and dismissive,” CNN reported, others felt Obama’s remark was made in jest. In a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney disputed reports characterizing Obama as testy during the interaction.
“In fact, the President was very appreciative of the question,” Carney said. “I think the question got into specifics about a program, and the President not only said his staff would follow up on it but he guaranteed that the President’s staff would follow up on it. He was very glad to see the interest in these kinds of programs that was expressed by the Congressman.”
Maloney also downplayed the controversy, though he did share several articles about it on social media.
“I am the youngest of five brothers – I’ve been in a headlock before and it’s all in good fun. I asked the President for a commitment to prioritize a local jobs project, and I got it,” he said in a statement. “I appreciate the President’s responsiveness.”
Maloney has been working with the Department of Energy on the loan guarantee since taking office, according to the congressman’s office. He believes the project would create hundreds of jobs in the Hudson Valley.
