By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey said Thursday that he opposes the confirmation of Ben Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve, saying his past leadership helped create the country’s economic crisis.

“This was a difficult decision,” Toomey said in a statement. “I have great respect for Chairman Bernanke’s intellect and expertise, and I believe he has tried to do what he believes is best for the country and its economy. However, Chairman Bernanke’s refusal to acknowledge the role the Fed played in creating the current financial and economic crisis leaves little assurance that the Fed will not repeat those errors under his continued leadership.

“In addition, I have concerns about Chairman Bernanke’s participation in the extralegal activities in the fall of 2008 and the recent politicization of his confirmation, which raises question about his potential susceptibility to political pressure,” Toomey added. “I have a lot of respect for Chairman Bernanke, but it is crucial that we learn from the mistakes that led to this economic crisis.  Without that acknowledgement, I cannot give him my support.”

Toomey is the almost certain GOP nominee for U.S. Senate. He will face either Democrat Arlen Specter, the incumbent, or challenger Joe Sestak in the general election. He leads either man in a hypothetical matchup by double-digits, according to a latest Franklin & Marshall College poll released Wednesday.

Tags: Arlen Specter, Joe Sestak, Pat Toomey, Toomey opposes Bernanke

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