This news happened while I was on hiatus: WHOI reported last December on a group of people who were outside Congressman Ray LaHood’s Peoria office “holding signs stating he is spending too much on local issues.” Wow! I’ve only heard about this event from WHOI — was it covered by any other media outlets?
Anyway, the news reporters decided to try to find out why LaHood was getting so local all of a sudden. One political science professor thought it was LaHood’s way of trying to “stay in touch” with his constituents. But the most interesting quote was from LaHood himself:
“People look at me as somebody that has influence and if my office and my position can influence things in a positive way in the community, I want to be a part of that.†LaHood said.
LaHood has influence? Let’s recap his success in influencing things in a positive way: He tried to play mediator in the rails-to-trails issue to no avail; he tried to play mediator in the Glen Oak School siting issue to no avail; he’s trying to get two election commissioners thrown off the commission — the results of this latest one are yet to be determined. So far, he’s batting .000.
Is this an indication of the kind of “influence” he has in Washington?
Bob Michel had significant influence and seniority, he was the Minority Whip. LaHood hasn’t been in Congress long enough yet to attain the same level of influence. So the answer to the poll has to be no he does not have the same level of influence as his predecessor.
Why else would the Surface Transportation Board have delayed its ruling on the Kellar Branch for so long?
Aw heck, Uncle Ray has PLENTY of influence. Why, he’s influenced me to have never voted for him yet.
Ray La Who?
When I lived in Peoria, I couldn’t believe the amount of time LaHood spent sticking his nose in local issues. I also was dumbfounded by how the Peoria media seemed to coronate him some sort of all-knowing expert on everything and ran to him to get his take on virtually every big news story. I don’t ever recall seeing this sort of situation with Tim Johnson when I lived in Champaign-Urbana.