CONGRESS Panel says Strickland is no friend to business

U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette scored the lowest out of any Ohio Republican member of the U.S. House.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- When it comes to voting with small business, a Washington, D.C., organization says U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland is no friend.
Strickland, a Lucasville Democrat, voted against the position of the Small Business Survival Committee on 14 of the 15 issues the Republican-leaning organization considers "key small business votes."
The committee examined the voting records in 2002 of members of Congress on issues such as the president's tax cut plan, phasing out the death tax, cutting income tax rates, the president's energy plan, an economic stimulus plan, reforming medical malpractice laws, and expanding U.S. markets abroad.
Strickland's lone vote in support of the committee's position was to reject a plan that would have put limits on the number of light trucks and sport utility vehicles available in the country through increased regulation.
Strickland is running in the 6th Congressional District, which beginning next year will include Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County, against Republican Michael Halleck of Salem.
Traficant
Former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. got a score of 0 from the committee, but that is because he did not cast a single vote in Congress this year. Traficant, of Poland, was expelled from Congress in July after being convicted on 10 felony counts including bribery, racketeering and tax evasion. He is serving an eight-year sentence in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.
Traficant stopped coming to Capitol Hill in January in preparation for his corruption trial in February. After his April conviction, Traficant heeded the warning of the House ethics committee to refrain from voting.
Traficant is running as an independent in the 17th Congressional District, which beginning next year will include portions of Mahoning and Trumbull counties, against Democrat Timothy J. Ryan of Niles and Republican Ann Womer Benjamin of Aurora.
Others
Outgoing U.S. Rep. Thomas C. Sawyer, an Akron Democrat who lost the 17th District primary to Ryan, received a score of 0, the lowest of any Ohio congressman. Unlike Traficant, Sawyer voted against the committee's position 15 times.
U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, a Madison Republican running in a congressional district which beginning next year will include seven northern townships in Trumbull County, received a score of 73 percent from the committee. It was the lowest score given to an Ohio Republican member of the House, but it was still considerably higher than every Ohio Democrat in the survey.
Senators
The state's two U.S. senators -- George Voinovich and Mike DeWine, both Republicans -- received scores of 87 percent and 73 percent, respectively, from the committee.
Pennsylvania's two U.S. senators -- Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter, both Republicans -- received scores of 93 percent and 67 percent, respectively, from the committee.
U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, a Bradford Woods Republican who represents Lawrence County, received a score of 93 percent, and U.S. Rep. Phil English, an Erie Republican who represents Mercer County, received a score of 87 percent.
Any member of Congress who voted at least 80 percent was hailed by the organization as a "Champion of Small Business."
skolnick@vindy.com