Thread: AUTOGATE: Barney Frank stops GM closure in district

June 4, 2009

Barney Frank convinces GM CEO to keep his district's plant open

@ 4:01 pm by Michael O'Brien

Rep Barney Frank (D-Mass.) won a stay of execution on Thursday for a General Motors plant in his district that the automaker had announced it would close.

No other lawmaker has managed to halt the GM ax. As chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Frank oversees the government's bailout program, known as TARP. Frank's staff said the lawmaker spokes with GM CEO Fritz Henderson on Wednesday and convinced him to keep the Norton, Mass. plant open for at least 14 months.

GM announced Monday in its bankruptcy and restructuring plans it would close of nine of its plants and idle three others. The automaker said it would also shutter three service and parts operations by the end of the year — one of which is in Frank's district.

"I greatly appreciate General Motors' willingness to take into consideration the wider needs of the company and especially the community," Frank said in a statement. "Keeping the facility open for this extra time gives workers a chance to look at other opportunities, while at the same time continuing to provide for their families."

Frank said that an improving economy could improve the prospects for GM and its employees, hinting that an uptick in auto sales could keep the Norton plant open longer.

12 lawmakers' districts were hit by the round of plant closures announced Monday – six Democrats and six Republicans.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) had demanded President Obama personally intervene and order the Mansfield, Ohio plant in his district be kept open.

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/06 ... o-meeting/

Well, isn't that special! Playing Big Brother because of your on behalf of your constituents with a private corporation struggling in bankruptcy, apparently with no thought about the other plants in other states that had to be closed, nor the thousands of people that lost or stand to lose their jobs.
As far as Mr. Frank, I cannot elaborate what I think of him as it would be TOO unkind to another human.

What is the middle name Bostonians have for Bill Buckner? That's the one I have for Barney Frank!