Grayson likens GOP in charge of Congress to terrorist in pilot's seat
By: Jake Sherman

Alan Grayson says putting the Republicans back in charge of Congress would be like putting a terrorist in the pilot’s seat of a jetliner.

“Why would you want to put people in charge of government who just don’t want to do it?” the Florida Democrat asks in a new interview with Orlando’s WTVF. “I mean, you wouldn’t expect to see al Qaeda members as pilots.”

Republicans are pouncing on the latest from a man who once said the GOP health care plan is for Americans to “die quickly.” NRCC spokesman Andy Sere says Central Floridians are “deeply embarrassed by Alan Grayson and would characterize his freshman term in Congress as a reign of terror.”

But Grayson’s office is standing by his comments. The point he was trying to make: If Republicans want as little government as possible, why put them in charge of it?

Republicans and Democrats slammed Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) for calling Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a “K Street whore” in a month-old radio interview that circulated on Capitol Hill Monday night.

“There’s no call for that language. No call for it. That’s absurd. If he was standing here now, I’d say that to him,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.)

“He’s out of control,” added Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference.

The remarks are the latest to surface in a string of controversial statements by Grayson, who said on the Alex Jones radio show that he believes Robertson, a former Enron lobbyist, is not qualified to pass judgment on intricate financial matters.

It’s clear that his colleagues’ opinion of him has suffered.

“Is this news to you that this guy’s one fry short of a Happy Meal?” asked Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.)

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer defended Robertson, whom he said he knows.

"I think it's inappropriate and unfair," the Maryland Democrat said. He decried the "heated rhetoric" that he said interferes with the ability solve problems.

Late last month, Grayson said Republicans’ health care plans were for Americans to “die quickly.”

Grayson, who is Jewish, later earned reproach from the Anti-Defamation League for referring to the health care system as a “holocaust in America.”

More recently, Republicans complained that a Website he created and promoted on the House floor – www.namesofthedead.com – had links to both his official House Web site and his campaign site. He later removed the link to his campaign site.

Grayson, who did not vote on Monday, has shown no sign of backing down.

Todd Jurkowski, Grayson’s spokesman, declined comment other than to confirm that the interview occurred.

Democrat Dina Titus of Nevada called Grayson’s remarks “a bit extreme and rather sexist.”