U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) defended Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox Monday from attacks by John McCain, who has blamed Cox for the Wall Street crisis.

Last week, the Republican nominee called for Cox's dismissal, saying "he had betrayed the public's trust."

Rohrabacher and Cox served together in the Reagan White House and in Congress, where Cox represented California's 48th Congressional District for 17 years before resigning to become SEC chairman in 2005.

"Chris has only been in there a short period of time and the irresponsible policies that have brough this crisis upon us have been in place for decades," Rohrabacher told the Orange County Register. "Chris has made some fundamental reforms while he's been there. I think making him the fall guy is very dishonest."

ELSEWHERE on PolitickerCA.com:

• McCain calls for removal of former U.S. Rep. Cox as SEC chief
• Cox responds to McCain's blindside