by Caitlin Kenney

Things got heated on Capitol Hill today as a senior Republican lawmaker called on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to resign. Rep. Kevin Brady (R- Texas) said this during a Joint Economic Committee Hearing:

"Conservatives agree that as point person you have failed, liberals are growing in that consensus as well. Poll after poll shows the public has lost confidence in this President's ability to handle the economy. For the sake of our jobs, will you step down from your post?"

Geithner was quick to respond, defending himself while criticizing the policies of the previous administration:

"I agree with almost nothing in what you said, and I think almost nothing in what you said represents a fair and accurate perception of where this economy is today. I think it is important to start, welcome the advice you are providing after you gave this president an economy falling off a cliff, values of American savings cut almost in half, millions of Americans out of work, again the worst financial crisis we have seen in generations."

After the jump, video of the exchange.

 

Another Republican on the panel, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), joined in the criticism telling Geithner: " I don't think you should be fired. I thought you should have never been hired."

Geithner has faced other calls for his resignation this week, but Democrats at the hearing were quick to jump to his defense. Here's what Representative Maurice Hinchey, a New York Democrat had to say:

"It just amazes me how there are some people here who are trying to pretend, and I think consciously and intentionally pretending, that the economic circumstances that we're confronting, all of them, mysteriously materialized over the course of the last nine months or so, which is totally, completely false."