Texas Congressman Ron Paul has slammed Federal Reserve Chairman
Ben Bernanke for his decision to skip Congressional Financial
Services hearings in favor of secretive meetings with European
central bankers.
The hearings, which took place yesterday, incorporated
discussions on the TARP funds, the additional $350 billion being
requested by the Treasury from Congress.
"At the very last minute, the chairman of
the Federal Reserve Board, Bernanke has cancelled, as well as
Sheila Bear, who is the chairwoman of the FDIC, she will not
show up either." Paul told viewers of his video blog on
the Campaign
for Liberty website.
"But here I find out that they have a much
more important meeting," the Congressman added with a degree
of irony.
"They are going to Basel Switzerland to attend
the meeting at the Bank of International Settlements, with other
international bankers." Paul explained.
The meetings
in Basel, chaired by the European Central Bank
president Jean-Claude Trichet, have been ongoing this week,
yet very little details over what has been discussed have emerged
in the media.
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"But here it is, an emergency meeting for
them to run off to Europe and talk about monetary policy and
who knows what. One thing for sure is that the people will never
hear. As a matter of fact the people in the Congress won't hear
either." Paul asserted.
"Who knows what they are planning?"
The Congressman said. "I will do my darndest to find out
what really went on at these meetings that they are holding
over in Switzerland right now with all the central bankers."
"All we do know is that at the very last
minute Congress meant nothing to them for them to meet their
commitment." Paul added, pointing out that the pair also
skipped meetings with the Financial Services Committee last
Wednesday.
The Congressman explained that there is now an
ongoing debate, over what should be done with the remaining
bailout money, that has completely overshadowed the core issue
of why the taxpayer is being asked to give up the money in the
first instance.
Texas Congressman Ron Paul has slammed Federal Reserve Chairman
Ben Bernanke for his decision to skip Congressional Financial
Services hearings in favor of secretive meetings with European
central bankers.
