New U.S. Transport Sec. Ray LaHood Named "Porker of the Month"

The Newspaper
by The Newspaper

The taxpayer advocacy group Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has named U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray H. LaHood its “ January 2009 Porker of the Month.” “In his new position, Secretary LaHood will preside over the distribution of tens of billions of tax dollars for transportation projects in the stimulus package that is moving forward in Congress,” the group said in a statement. “As a member of Congress from Illinois between 1995 and 2009, then-Rep. LaHood made the most of his seat on the House Appropriations Committee and over time became adept at spending more and more of the taxpayers’ money… For his long-standing disregard for the taxpayers’ money and an abundance of concern over how he will administer the Department of Transportation, CAGW names Ray LaHood January Porker of the Month.”


The group pointed to the fifty-two legislative earmarks for which LaHood took credit last year, totaling $58.9m in spending. For example, he diverted $448,000 in federal tax dollars to the Lakeview Museum Planetarium in Peoria, Illinois.

According to The Washington Post‘s, LaHood’s campaign contributors are beneficiaries of his adroitness in the earmark department. Peoria-based Caterpillar tendered LaHood’s campaign $190k while receiving $7.8m in earmarks. The road-building company United Contractors Midwest and the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association were also among LaHood’s top campaign donors. In return, LaHood secured $2m in paving earmarks on their behalf. And those are just ’08’s totals.

LaHood defends earmarks as part of the normal legislative process.

“The reason I went to the Appropriations Committee, the reason other people go on the Appropriations Committee, is they know that it puts them in a position to know where the money is at, to know the people who are doling the money out and to be in the room when the money is being doled out,” LaHood told the Rockford Register Star in a February 2, 2008, article.

CAGW issues annual ratings that score members of Congress on their spending restraint. In his last year of office, LaHood rated 11 out of 100.

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  • Kurt. Kurt. on Feb 03, 2009

    In this month issue of American Motorcyclist, the AMA membership magazine, a reader points out that his area has 300+ miles of roadways paid for by local government. Their budget is $1.8m annually. It costs $105,000 to pave one mile, so they can pave 17 miles per year. Assfault has a life expectancy of 7 to 10 years (we all know it is 3 to 5) so that puts the roads in his area on a 21 year repaving cycle. I bring all this up because although I dislike how some members of Congress get more for their constituents than others, it is why we sent them there. The important thing for us to do is hold them accountable for the spending of that money once in comes (back) to us.

  • Geeber Geeber on Feb 03, 2009
    carlos.negros: What exactly is wrong with a Planetarium? There is one in my home town. Absolutely nothing. The correct question is whether the federal government should be paying for them. The correct answer is that if the residents of your town enjoy it, they can also pay for it. carlos.negros: Why is this a worse way to invest than buying a new jet for Citigroup? That's an argument against bailouts without sufficient conditions attached, not an argument for federal funding of planetariums. carlos.negros: Or, for that matter, why is it worse than giving a billion to faith-based initiatives? Because the organizations that receive funds must meet specific guidelines, and can only use the money to provide services that meet critical needs in the community. Planetariums are nice, but the last time I checked, they aren't critical to the needs of a community. Please compare apples to apples next time.
  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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