MA Senate Hopeful Scott Brown Voted Against Relief For 9/11 Recovery Workers

While Scott Brown is busy parading around Rudy Giuliani, it’s a good time to note that he voted against a bill that would have given financial assistance to Red Cross workers who helped with recovery at Ground Zero. (h/t The Political Carnival)

On October 17th, 2001, Brown voted against a bill that would authorize “leaves of absence for certain Red Cross employees participating in Red Cross emergencies.” The bill gave 15 days of paid leave each year to state workers called up by the Red Cross to respond to disasters. At the time, state workers called for such emergencies were required to use sick and vacation days.

The bill was initially filed before 9/11, and after the attacks, it was made retroactive to 9/11, covering the time spent by state workers who’d assisted with 9/11 recovery work for the Red Cross. Brown’s vote against the measure came a little more than a month after the attack.

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Brown spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom justified the vote by pointing to the state’s fiscal straits. “At the time, the state was in a fiscal crisis and facing a deficit, and there was no money to spend on additional pay and benefits for state employees.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.