The Hill News

The top budget Democrat in the House twice name-checked former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) for making unhelpful comments on the budget.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, singled out the potential Republican presidential candidate for criticism for his comments on the spending debate in Washington.

“I was just listening to that clip from Governor Pawlenty. That’s revisionist history," Van Hollen said in an interview on Fox News, referencing a clip of Pawlenty talking about the budget, and the labor dispute in Wisconsin.

"The notion ! that police and firefighters and teachers and these unions are responsible for the meltdown in the economy and are the ones that are holding it back is just nonsense," Van Hollen added.

Pawlenty has been vocal in supporting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's (R) bid to reform collective bargaining rights in his state, and has been vocal about the deficit battles in Washington.

Pawlenty said over the weekend that Republicans should consider forcing a government shutdown over spending cuts if they feel like they have no other options, and he's advocated against raising the debt limit when it comes up for a vote this spring. 

"We do need to work together, an! d people need to make these compromises," Van Hollen said. "Th! e worker s are weilling to do that, but the kind of rhetoric we're hearing from Gov. Pawlenty does not help solve the problem at all."

Updated 10:03 a.m.