Ray Lahood Still Defending Lobbyists

A couple of Sunday's ago the PJS Ed Board finally got around to calling Ray out about his reliance on Lobbyists in DC. Don' t expect too much of this, they made sure to do it far enough before the election that all will be fine in November, they lost Ran$burg, they can't afford to lose Ray as well.

Three businesses - Caterpillar Inc., its spinoff Firefly Energy, and Proctor Hospital - received so-called earmark grants last year at the same time their lobbyists served on a LaHood fundraising committee.

I don't blame Ray for bringing home the bucks for Cat-they are a cash cow for him when it comes time to hold a local fundraiser, and heaven know he needs the cash, Steve Waterworth may raise $5,000 this time out, and Ray may have to dole out another $120,000 to Marliese Streitmatter from his campaign account if she is not still filling her crony job in the defense department.

"The implication is that somebody raises money for me and I got money for them," LaHood says. "That's not true."

I can only take him at his word on this one. But Lahood must be feel ing some heat, he went so far as to write a letter calling out a PJS/Copley reporter stating:

though, a reporter writes a story that is flat-out wrong. I believe this was the case for the April 26 stories regarding the earmark process.

Then Lahood tries to create an us against them fight with the following:

Of the 41 projects for which I helped to secure earmarked funds in Fiscal Year 2006, the Washington-based reporter focused on four: two for Caterpillar, one for Firefly Energy and one for Proctor Hospital, then tried to tie them to campaign contributions I have received.

Getting nervous Ray? A few blogs (this one included) have taken Ray to task for jet-setting on the tax-payers and special interest groups dime, being in the top 3% in the house in raking in lobbyist donations and trying to land his son the US Attorney's job. Responding publicly. See a perfect storm comming Ray? Waterworth will not beat you this fall but there are cracks in the dam.

In the March 25, 2006 National Journal "Potholes on K Street" has this snip from Ray Lahoods' favorite lobbying firm Cassidy and Associates, COO Gregg Hartley:

"With the scrutiny on earmarks, clients will want a team that understands and can demonstrate the value of the earmark and build the documentation for the request, and if you are good at it, it will make you stand out," says Cassidy's Hartley, whose firm specializes in earmarks. "This could benefit us."

So Cassidy is the firm that specializes in earmarks? Keep spinning Ray, you may just yet make it possible for your opponent to be too close for comfort this fall.