LaHood Sponsored Millions in Earmarks

[Freddie Stubbs]

Transportation Pick Directed Money to Donors

By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 14, 2009; A02

The former Republican congressman chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to direct billions in federal highway spending has been an unapologetic advocate of earmarks, a practice Obama now opposes, and has used his influence to win funding for projects pushed by some of his largest campaign contributors.

Ray LaHood, who represented Illinois in the House for seven terms, sponsored $60 million in earmarks last year, steering at least $9 million in federal money to campaign donors, a Washington Post analysis shows. An opponent of earmark reform efforts in Congress, LaHood ranks roughly among the top 10 percent in the House for sponsoring earmarks in 2008, according to a watchdog group.

LaHood's record poses an important question as hearings begin today that will explore how he would administer part of a $775 billion stimulus package that will be directed to the Transportation Department. LaHood has defended his use of earmarks as a way to direct federal money to decaying communities in his district and insisted there is no connection between his earmarks and projects benefiting campaign donors.

Obama has pledged to resist pressure from local interests and to block unjustified earmarks from inclusion in the stimulus bill. "We're not having earmarks in the recovery package, period," he said Jan. 7.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/13/AR2009011302860_pf.html

[Occam Bandage]

1. Wait. The Transportation Secretary was a fan of spending money on transportation projects?

Good.

[firedupdem]

2. I read the entire article and it looks like the money he took went

to good projects. It seems they are playing the guilt by association game with this guy.



LaHood's biggest campaign donor is Peoria's largest corporation: Caterpillar. The company and its workers have donated more than $190,000 to LaHood since 1998, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Last year, LaHood secured $7.8 million to help the company and its offshoots develop technologies for potential future military contracts.

Last year, he also pushed for $333,000 to construct the new Lakeview Museum in Peoria, part of a project that will include a Caterpillar-financed museum focused on the company's history.

LaHood sponsored $1.49 million in earmarks directed to Springfield's Memorial Medical Center to fund the purchase of computer-based simulation technology and other equipment. Memorial and its lobbyist Cassidy and Associates together have given $60,000 to LaHood.

Local road-building companies also have supported LaHood. United Contractors Midwest, led by president James Bruner, is often ranked as his second or third largest donor, and its officials have donated $24,925 to LaHood. Three leading members of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association have given more than $60,000 to LaHood.

Last year, he proposed $2 million in road-paving projects, including at least one $245,000 check that the recipient never sought. The money would help an Illinois cemetery resurface its roadways.

"Congressman LaHood's staff called me, saying, 'We know your roads are in bad condition. What can we do?' said LuAnn Johnson, executive director of the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. "We were thrilled for the chance for federal dollars."

[Jennicut]

3. I hate this disdain of earmarks, how would anything get done in this country without them?

Some are good, some are bad. But things need to be built or fixed or funded and that is why we have earmarks to begin with.

[firedupdem]

4. And Caterpillar employs a hell of a lot of people.....I've never

heard anything but good about this guy. Not saying he's squeaky clean but the amounts given to his campaign don't seem as big as they could have been if some deal making was going on.