Oklahoma City, OK (April 5, 2010) – After being the sole barrier blocking 200,000 unemployed Americans from getting the unemployment benefits they were promised, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) made a fool out of himself on April 1 by telling his supporters that the rest of Congress was to blame.

"Today, nearly a quarter-million Americans will lose the unemployment benefits they were promised because Tom Coburn refused to do his job as a U.S. Senator," stated Todd Goodman, chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. "These families are now left without critical benefits that will help keep them afloat while they search for a job.

"Sen. Coburn killed a bill reauthorizing unemployment payments until after his Easter vacation, leaving thousands of Oklahomans high and dry while their benefits run out. That's not governing, that's throwing a temper tantrum."

Goodman noted an email that Coburn sent out to his supporters on April 1, in which Coburn placed the blame on Congress for failing to reauthorize the payments.

"First of all, it's high time that Tom Coburn realized he's a member of Congress, and when he blames Congress for something, he needs to share in the accountability," Goodman said.

"Second, blaming the rest of Congress is disingenuous at best, dishonest at worst. If he's going to take such extreme actions as blocking a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Americans who are looking for work and struggling to make ends meet, then I would expect him to own up to it – not pass the buck."

Coburn has stated that he is asking for the cost of the unemployment benefit extension to be paid out of stimulus funds, claiming to do otherwise would add to our national debt. However, Coburn originally voted against the stimulus package, saying that it was wasteful and would add to our national debt.

"Sen. Coburn keeps using the same worn rhetoric whenever he wants to grab some headlines," stated Goodman. "You can't just keep saying 'no' when people are struggling and need a hand up. Every once in a while, you have to say 'yes' to the people who voted you into office."

Goodman also noted that Coburn's antics will likely cost more in the long run.

"The unemployment benefits that Tom Coburn cut off this week will not be put into Oklahoma's economy. It will also cause more families to go deeper in debt and add to their financial backlog," he noted.

"This stunt will cost all of us much more in the long term than if our junior Senator had been able to do his job and work through his objections. Instead, Tom Coburn has once again failed us."