Politics & Government

O'Malley Blasts GOP As Government Shutdown Nears

Lost wages for federal workers living in Maryland would hurt state tax revenues, the governor said.

Gov. Martin O’Malley lashed out at Congressional Republicans using strong, partisan words in a statement issued Friday about the prospect of a federal government shutdown.

“Congressional Republicans are allowing their hate of government to hurt the hardworking families of our country," O'Malley (D) said in the statement, released just before 4 p.m. "It appears they care more about hurting our government than they do about helping our recovery. 

“Maryland is home to thousands of federal civil servants—moms and dads who will go without pay because Speaker Boehner and the Republicans have chosen to wage an ideological war instead of putting the interests of their nation first.”

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada said Friday that Republicans' desire to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood remains a roadblock for an agreement that would cut spending and avert a shutdown, according to reports from Capitol Hill.

The news release from O'Malley's office went on to say that a furlough of federal workers without retroactive pay would hurt Maryland's economic recovering by reducing state income tax revenue and leading to "the loss of projected revenues from reduced spending on taxable goods."

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O'Malley is chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.


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