Frank Denies Retirement Related to Party Prospects

Courtesy of Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Barney Frank says he’s retiring because his Massachusetts district has changed so much he’d have to spend too much time campaigning for re-election.

Frank tells NBC’s “Today” show his decision has nothing to do with Democratic prospects for retaking control of the House.

Asked what people should think, the 71-year-old Frank says: “This does not mean that we’re not going to take back the House.”

But he says redistricting has given him 325,000 constituents he doesn’t know. Because of this, the veteran Democrat says, he was afraid he’d have to spend too much time next year raising money and campaigning in the district.

When pressed on this point by his interviewer, Frank said the media are too negative, complaining that “it’s gotcha this, it’s gotcha that, it’s gotcha journalism.”

Governor Deval Patrick  responded to this announcement that Congressman Barney Frank plans to retire from the U.S. Congress at the end of his term by say:

“A generation of Bay State residents have known Barney Frank for his wisdom, wit and passion for service,” said Governor Patrick. “Barney’s leadership, on issues ranging from civil liberties to financial system restraint, will be sorely missed. He has earned the good wishes of the people of the Commonwealth.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

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Posted by jcashman on Nov 29 2011. Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry