Alan Simpson Could Not Get on a Jury

ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS
8815 16th Street, NW, 4th Floor Washington, D.C. 20006 (202) 637-5399 www.retiredamericans.org


For Immediate Release Contact: David Blank (202) 637-5275
August 31, 2010 dblank@retiredamericans.org


Retiree Leader: Alan Simpson Could Not Get on a Jury

Slurs Toward Women, Seniors Disqualify Service on Fiscal Commission


The following statement was issued today by Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, who late last week wrote President Obama to demand the resignation of Alan Simpson as Co-Chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Simpson referred to Social Security as “a milk cow with 310 million tits" and told a prominent advocate for older women to, “call when you get honest work.”

“There is not a judge in this country that would allow Alan Simpson to serve on a jury if Social Security were on trial.

“Co-chairing a presidential panel is serious business. Much like serving on a jury, it requires a fair, balanced, and honest evaluation of the evidence. By this reasonable yardstick, Alan Simpson has disqualified himself from serving on this commission.

“Simpson’s remarks were not only deeply hurtful and inaccurate, but they clearly compromise his ability to objectively weigh the arguments presented to the commission during its deliberations. His conduct is unbecoming someone trusted with this level of responsibility, and it is time for President Obama to replace him with someone with a greater sense of comportment and impartiality.”

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The Alliance for Retired Americans is a national organization that advocates for the rights and well being of over 4 million retirees and their families.