Ryan's Votes Under Scrutiny

He has a long legislative history that's getting an even longer look

As a congressman in a comfortably safe Wisconsin district, Rep. Paul Ryan voted for some expensive initiatives while building a reputation as a serious conservative. But now that he is Mitt Romney's running mate, some of his ideological inconsistencies are now coming under the microscope.

Ryan came under fire this week after reports surfaced that Ryan requested stimulus funds for Wisconsin businesses even as he lambasted President Obama's $787 billion initiative as a waste of money. The congressman initially denied requesting the funds, but later Thursday evening said his office did make make the requests on behalf of the businesses. His office mistakenly treated the issue like any other "constituent service" request, he said, and "should have been handled differently."