I can't think of a better reason to support Shadegg.


January 28, 2006
Blunt: Shadegg Lacks Influence to Lead House GOP
by Scott Ott


(2006-01-28) — Rep. Roy Blunt, R-MO, said today that one of his opponents in the race for the House Majority Leader post “lacks the power and influence” to push through a package of reforms designed to reduce corruption, like the influence-peddling scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

“He’s not well known,” Rep. Blunt said of Rep. John Shadegg, R-AZ, “and nobody owes him anything that he could trade for votes on the reform package. He won’t have the influence to pull off the backroom, wink-and-nod deals that make true reform possible. Plus, he doesn’t have any strong connections with lobbyists who can write the reform bill for him. Where’s a guy like John Shadegg going to come up with all of those fancy words, paragraphs and clauses that give the genuine appearance of reform?”

A third candidate for the party leadership job, Ohio Rep. John Boehner, agreed that Rep. Shadegg would “flounder in his pious platitudes about transparency, accountability and integrity.”

“The Republican party needs a leader who can pull strings to turn those platitudes into a bill that gets approved,” said Rep. Boehner. “Reform legislation doesn’t happen live on C-Span. It’s hammered out by power brokers over cigars and sherry at exclusive restaurants. Shadegg can’t make those kind of deals, so he’ll never be able to change the system.”