Steven LaTourette

Steven C. LaTourette, a Republican, has represented the 14th Congressional District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995.

Iraq War
LaTourette voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Involvement in The Jack Abramoff Scandal
Papers filed in the Jack Abramoff case show that LaTourette wrote a letter to The General Services Administration on behalf of an Abramoff associate, and networked on Abramoff's behalf with indicted Congressman Bob Ney.

LaTourette was asked to work with indicted Jack Abramoff co-conspirator David Safavian to pass a regulation change that might secure minority-owned small-business contracts for Indian tribes Abramoff represented.

According to an FBI document, Abramoff "sent an e-mail to Safavian's home e-mail address containing a draft letter purportedly to be sent by at least two members of Congress to the Administrator of GSA."

Connections to Tom DeLay
LaTourette was a member of the House ethics committee when it "sat in judgment on Majority Leader Tom DeLay when he was investigated for offering financial support to the political campaign of a retiring representative's son in exchange for his vote on the Republican Medicare bill." LaTourette has received $16,000 in campaign contributions from DeLay since 1994, but says the relationship will not cause bias.

Republican removal from the House Ethics Committee
In 2004, Hulshof was a member of the House Ethics Committee at the time it was investigating then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). The committee did not formally charge DeLay with any wrongdoing, but it did rebuke him for three separate actions that could have given the appearance of impropriety. Many Republicans were furious at the perceived disloyalty to the party of the committee's Republican members, and Speaker Dennis Hastert replaced Hulshof along with Chairman Joel Hefley and Rep. Steve LaTourette at the beginning of the 109th Congress with members more loyal to the party leadership, including two who had given money to DeLay's legal defense fund.
 * For a more indepth exploration of these events, see Congresspedia's page on the House Ethics Committee.

Extramarital Affair with Lobbyist
LaTourette became a controversial figure in the months following October 2003, when he telephoned his wife, still living in the Ohio, that he was having an affair with a lobbyist and was filing for divorce. The affair was publicized in 2003 by The Hill newspaper, and the online news magazine Salon reported in Oct. 2004 that LaTourette's mistress was Jennifer Laptook, a former aide now working as a lobbyist for Van Scoyoc Associates, which lobbies LaTourette's committee on a number of issues.

Cliff Schecter at Salon.com wrote, LaTourette "was blending into the woodwork as a Republican Party regular -- not as extreme as some of his more partisan colleagues but acceptably conservative (the Christian Coalition recently rated his voting record 84 percent favorable) -- when the revelation of his affair made him a poster boy for Republican "family values" hypocrisy."

Bio
LaTourette was born July 22, 1954. A graduate of the University of Michigan, LaTourette served as the County Prosecutor of Lake County, Ohio from 1989 to 1995.

Congressional career
Promising to only serve two terms, he was elected to the U.S. House in 1994. He was part of the wave of Republican successes in that year, defeating incumbent Eric Fingerhut.

"A former prosecutor, LaTourette has used conservative social issues to turn the once Democratic district into a marginally Republican one. He is a favorite of the National Rifle Association."

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Lewis Katz to face LaTourette in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) LaTourette retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Railroads
 * Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
 * House Committee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
 * Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy Trade and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
 * House Committee on Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Drug Policy and Human Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Security Emerging Threats and International Relations
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Highways Transit and Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Railroads - Chair
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * LaTourette wrote letter to GSA for Abramoff lobbying associate
 * Cliff Schecter, Sweetheart deal: Republican congressman Steven LaTourette of Ohio left his wife for a female aide who now makes a lucrative career out of lobbying his committee Salon.com, October 5, 2004.
 * Greg Sargent, "Four More GOPers Defect, Will Back Anti-Escalation Resolution," TPM Cafe, February 14, 2007.
 * Jonathan Weisman, "Bush losing Republicans over plan for Iraq war," Washington Post (The Seattle Times), February 15, 2007.
 * David Espo, "GOP Opposition to Bush Plan Forms," Associated Press (ABC News), February 15, 2007.
 * Jeff Zeleny,"12 Republicans Break Ranks on Iraq Resolution," New York Times, February 15, 2007.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Psychobilly Democrat
 * As Ohio Goes
 * Writes Like She Talks
 * Pho's Akron Pages
 * Callahan's Cleveland Diary