The Washington Post is questioning Barack Obama’s pick for Secretary of Transportation for a familiar reason:

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.

It’s interesting to see LaHood’s earmarks reported in the national press. The Post goes on to list how much money in earmarks LaHood secured for Caterpillar, Lakeview, PeoriaNext, and road projects. They also report who his top campaign contributors are and match that list up to how much he secured in earmarks for those contributors. Cat’s contributions are no shock, of course. But I was unaware of these large contributors:

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.

And:

LaHood also has been criticized for his ties to a longtime Republican state kingmaker in Illinois, William F. Cellini Sr. […] LaHood’s road-building earmarks have highlighted his relationship with Cellini, head of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association and other businesses.

Forgive me for being cynical here, but that would certainly explain why LaHood favors road and paved trail projects, and has opposed expanding Amtrak service to Peoria.

Government watchdog groups are not pleased with LaHood’s nomination. They say “LaHood’s selection does not bode well for Obama’s pledge to return transparency to government spending,” according to the Post.

“This guy has history of pork barrel spending and lot of a questionable spending linked to his friends. He’s going to be in charge of funneling hundreds of billions of dollars into local projects . . . and he’s not going to be suddenly changing his stripes tomorrow,” said Leslie Paige of the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

Nevertheless, I’m under no illusion that this will in any way derail LaHood’s confirmation. After all, if Treasury secretary nominee Timothy Geithner can continue to garner praise and support despite the fact that he didn’t pay his taxes for the past four years, one wonders what it would take to disqualify a nominee.