Kuhl Won't Back Down From 'suffer' Quip

Western New York Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl is standing by his comments that the Democrats want the American public to “suffer” for political gain.

“It’s very frustrating when you see a Democratic majority stay away, as they did intentionally, from addressing the issue of lowering the price of gasoline by adopting a comprehensive energy plan,” Kuhl said Wednesday in an interview with an upstate N.Y. television station.

“It leads one to believe that, in fact, this is done for an intentional purpose. I still believe that. I hope I’m wrong.”

Kuhl also took issue with opponent Eric Massa, who claimed his crack was part of a GOP “trend” that includes anti-Democrat attacks by fellow House Republicans Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Robin Hayes (R-N.C.).

"I think it's outlandish to think that a comment that I made 11 weeks ago is the beginning of a quote-unquote trend of my party some two and a half months later,” Kuhl said.