Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be in Colorado Springs on Saturday for a campaign rally, and the local company that’s sponsoring the event has a business background that runs contrary to one of Romney’s headline-making stances.
According to federal records, the company, Springs Fabrication, was awarded more than $2 million in stimulus funding from the Obama administration.
Springs Fabrication specializes in metal engineering, and was awarded a government contract in November 2010 with funds from the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Obama signed into law in 2009.
Springs Fabrication was awarded the funding as a sub-award to work with Merrick & Co. on a project to upgrade the plumbing of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
According to the federal tracking site www.recovery.gov, which documents where stimulus money goes, Springs Fabrications was awarded $2.3 million for the project.
The controversial funding bill created a so-called economic stimulus, allocating $787 billion for schools, tax credits and construction projects across the country. That amount increased to $840 billion last year.
The Romney campaign did not respond to requests for comment about the Saturday rally at Springs Fabrication.
Republicans have blasted the measure for wasting hundreds of billions of dollars and failing to create lasting jobs. Romney has said in the past that he thinks the economy has worsened under Obama’s presidency, and that he never supported the stimulus.
“I have never supported the president’s Recovery Act, or the stimulus,” he said at a campaign event. “No time, nowhere, no how.”
Many of his political opponents, however, have called Romney a flip-flopper because he previously said that he thought a stimulus plan was needed to help the economy recover.
“I frankly wish that the last Congress would have dealt with the stimulus issue and that the president could assign that before leaving office. I think there is need for economic stimulus,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in 2009.
Tom Neppl, president and CEO of Springs Fabrication, said he didn’t support the stimulus, but that he didn’t think much of accepting the contract when Merrick & Co. approached his company.
“They told me that was part of the Reinvestment Act. I didn’t pay that much attention to it. It wasn’t a big deal to us at the time,” Neppl said.
“When a good customer comes to you and asks you to do a project, you do the project,” he said.
Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Rick Palacio called Romney a chameleon and hypocrite.
“This is just more proof that Mitt Romney has a different message for every crowd that he talks to,” said Palacio. “Whatever he says, you’re always going to find instances where he has contradicted himself.”
The rally Saturday is at 2:45 p.m., 850 Aeroplaza Drive. It is open to the public.
Certainly you’re not suggesting that Springs Fabrication or Mitt Romney are guilty of gross hypocrisy. No GOP conservative would ever but that line, or would they.
TARP printed far more money than AERRA did and both were necessary. Had McCain won the presidency, he would have pushed a stimulus of his own. Romney supported a stimulus until he figured the people he counted on to support him opposed it-then he changed his mind. He agrees with the last person he talks with.
Wow, Imagine that.
Ward Cleaver himself, in our own hillbilly cowtown.
Will he be wearing his protective “magic underwear” or will the high altitude save him?
Its nice to have 3 presidential candidates visit Colorado before the convention.
Maybe Mr Romney will learn money spent to get into space is spent on Earth, specifically in the US (not China). Mr Santorum might learn one western value is live and let live (what you smoke, who you live with is ones own business). Mr Paul might learn the people of Colorado are strong enough to trim the government AND raise taxes to reduce the deficit.
Hopefully the other post Iowa/NH states will teach them other lessons as well.
Amazing how many criticize feeding at the public trough; but, truth be told, there are few among us pure enough to cast the first stone – that is the problem when we allow government to take care of us.
Our politicians pick the winners and losers and enrich one by taking from another.
Oh, except for the Libertarian in the race – and he’s been labeled too extreme for mainstream voters, who seem to enjoy the status quo and feeding at the trough.
So President of the company who accepted the free government money (from our poor peoples taxes) says $2M plus is no big deal! Wow! Only from the mouths and bulging pocketbooks of the RICH!
Without the rich non of you would have a job. Don’t think so? Ask if your boss gets food stamps and welfare.
rights -
Wow, someone sure messed with YOUR head.
I suggest either upping your meds, or eliminating some, as your current state isn’t conducive with anything productive.
I wish the gazette news department reporters would stop republishing Democrat party press releases under their own bylines.
The money was earned, not a gift people! It was a contracted job, get it? Duh
Hey rights,
Without the greedy rich we’d probably ALL have jobs that pay a livable salary and we wouldn’t be competing with the Chinese. As Steve noted, the nurses will take you back to your room now – the Doctor says keyboard time is over.
[...] « Previous Post All Posts [...]
A company with the word “fabrication” in its name is the perfect sponsor for a candidate that uses the term as its modus operandi.
[...] said that Springs Fabrication, which accepted a contract in 2010 that included $2 million dollars in stimulus funds, was emblematic of the private sector job growth he would support, and that the stimulus did not [...]
cheap collectibles…
[...]Company hosting Romney campaign stop was awarded $2 million in stimulus funding – Second Reading : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…
Domains Reviews…
[...]Company hosting Romney campaign stop was awarded $2 million in stimulus funding – Second Reading : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…
The Modelixir Magazine…
[...]Company hosting Romney campaign stop was awarded $2 million in stimulus funding – Second Reading : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…
VW Dealer Albuquerque…
[...]Company hosting Romney campaign stop was awarded $2 million in stimulus funding – Second Reading : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…