GOP Congressman Who Chairs Transportation Committee Literally In Bed With Airline Lobbyist

The Republican Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is literally in bed with an airline lobbyist. And what’s worse – there’s no rule against it.

In a 2001 special election Bill Shuster ran for and won the congressional seat his father gave up when he resigned from Congress amid a scandal involving a lobbyist. A Republican of Pennsylvania, Rep. Bill Shuster has won every election since, with well over 60 percent of the vote, until this past November, when he squeaked by with a 52.8 percent majority.

Once voters learn that Congressman Shuster, the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is dating a top airline lobbyist, that margin may decrease once again.

Politico reports today that Rep. Shuster is in a romantic relationship with Shelley Rubino, vice president for global government affairs for Airlines for America (A4A).

Surprisingly, there is no rule barring this personal-professional relationship, and Rep. Shuster says his girlfriend “doesn’t lobby my office, including myself and my staff,” despite the fact that, as Politico notes, Airlines for America “spends millions of dollars trying to influence his panel.”

When Shuster started dating Rubino, 49, in the summer of 2014, he drafted a formal document stating she would not lobby him or his staff, including committee staff. This does not prevent Rubino from lobbying the other 50 members of the committee, and their aides.

In a statement today, the 54-year old Congressman said, “Ms. Rubino and I have a private and personal relationship, and out of respect for her and my family, that is all I will say about that.”

It’s unclear what about their personal relationship could be more disrespectful to either family than is the current appearance of impropriety to the American people.

Rubino’s bosses at A4A – which spent $6.8 million last year lobbying for Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, FedEx, Atlas Air, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest, United, UPS and US Airways – appear to be exceptionally respectful of her privacy as well.

“As a matter of practice, and out of respect for our employees’ privacy, we do not comment on their personal lives,” Airlines for America said in a statement.

Politico also reports that Rep. Shuster hired an Airlines for America vice president as a top level director for his transportation subcommittee, and Airlines for America has contributed over $20,000 to his election campaign.

According to the article, this is all perfectly legal.

Congressman Shuster is on Facebook, Twitter, and online.

 

Image via Facebook
Hat tip: Talking Points Memo