DFL: Stauber “Hypocrite” Over Blatnik Money; Once Law, Congressman Says He Pushed For Funding

Back and forth over federal funding vote.

On Monday, many Minnesota and Wisconsin lawmakers lauded the announced federal funding that will help with the replacement of the Blatnik Bridge.

Among those was Minnesota’s 8th District Congressman Pete Stauber.

State DFL leaders said the republican lawmaker was a “hypocrite” because he voted against the law that provided the funding.

Tuesday, Stauber responded and said that after the bill passed and became law, he advocated for the bridge funding.

In announcing the funding Monday, Stauber had said, “…its [Blatnik] restoration is essential to ensuring continued economic success, which is why I have long fought for these funds. Securing the money to help replace this bridge has been a top priority for both states, and I am proud to have worked with my Minnesota and Wisconsin Congressional colleagues to secure this critical investment…”

The Minnesota DFL said Stauber was trying to take credit for the Blatnik money, after voting against the bill that funded it.

State DFL Chairman Ken Martin said, “Pete Stauber’s constituents deserve a member of Congress who will vote for commonsense bipartisan legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, not a hypocrite who pretends that he did.”

In Tuesday’s statement Stauber said, “When a bill becomes the law of the land, I am going to fight to bring federal dollars back to Minnesota projects rather than sit by and watch it spent on garbage DEI trainings for Washington bureaucrats or economy-crushing Green New Deal initiatives in California.”

Martin’s statement said, “Pete Stauber is shamelessly trying to take credit for a project that is only possible because of a law he voted against. The Blatnik Bridge is getting funding because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Biden and Minnesota Democrats fought for – the same law that Pete Stauber voted against.”

Stauber said he worked with other regional lawmakers to make the bridge a priority, “I am grateful for the advocacy of all my federal teammates. Our efforts were incredibly successful.”