U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner faces criticism from a conservative news site for failing to disclose his vote against the annual House defense appropriations bill, while at the same time claiming credit for how the bill includes tens of millions of dollars for Rhode Island.
The Daily Caller notes that Magaziner “took a victory lap in July after five of his amendments,” comprising $39 million in coastal defense priorities in his home state, were incorporated into the bill.
Magaziner’s omission of his vote against the defense bill sparked criticism from Maureen O’Toole, a regional spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“Seth Magaziner is a complete and total fraud,” O’Toole told the Caller. “Instead of putting partisan politics aside for the good of his constituents, Magaziner bowed to the left, and then had the audacity to lie about it. Rhode Island deserves better.”
Magaziner spokesman Noah Boucher called the criticism “a clumsy attempt by Republicans in Washington to distract Rhode Islanders from the health care crisis Republicans have created and their failure to address the high cost of living.”
Boucher said Magaziner voted against the legislation because “Republicans put poison pills in the bill, including anti-abortion language, that Magaziner could not support.”
“But his ability to secure good provisions for Rhode Island in the bill is still a win for our state,” Boucher added.
Magaziner, who is running for re-election, served two terms as Rhode Island’s general treasurer. He first won the Second Congressional District seat in 2022 and was re-elected last year.
Asked why Magaziner didn’t disclose his vote against the bill, Boucher said, “All of his votes are public record and fully transparent.”
