Boehner criticizes lack of bailout talks

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner joined other Republicans critical of the way Bush officials failed to keep Congress in the loop on the AIG bailout.

"There's been a lack of communication," the Ohio Republican congressman told reporters in Washington Thursday.

Boehner said a meeting of the Republican Conference on the economy and banking crisis had to be canceled because the administration would not send anyone, The Hill reported.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri and Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam of Florida earlier said they were frustrated with the lack of communication from the White House regarding actions taken by the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve to respond to the financial crisis.

Blunt said Republicans were unclear what the "coherent strategy" was in determining which financial entities deserved to be bailed out and which didn't.

House conservatives also sent a letter to the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department Wednesday, asking them to stop bailing out private-sector companies, the Washington political publication said.