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Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 10:35 PM UTC

Grayson apologizes for “K street whore” comment

The Florida Democrat says he's sorry for a derogatory remark about an advisor to Ben Bernanke

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Topics: Enron, Alan Grayson, D-Fla., War Room, Federal Reserve,

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., has a habit of being outspoken — and that’s putting it mildly. It’s made him a star on the left recently, but it’s also led to two fairly high-profile apologies just this month.

A few weeks ago, Grayson apologized for likening the death of uninsured Americans to the Holocaust. On Tuesday, he apologized for a comment he made a month ago, during an interview the radical conspiracist and radio host Alex Jones. At the time, he had called Linda Robertson, an advisor to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke he’d had some differences with a “K Street whore.”

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Grayson said, “I offer my sincere apology to Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. I did not intend to use a term that is often, and correctly, seen as disrespectful of women.” He added, “This characterization of Ms. Robertson, made during a radio interview last month in the context of the debate over whether the Federal Reserve should be independently audited, was inappropriate, and I apologize.”

It’s a remarkable turnaround from where his staff was earlier in the day, when a spokesman put out a combative statement responding to reports about his boss’ comment:

She actually questioned his understanding of the difference between fiscal and monetary policy. She had the audacity to attack a congressman who used to be an economist. She’s a career lobbyist who used to work for Enron and advocates for whatever she gets paid to promote.

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon. More Alex Koppelman.

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