Washingtonian Mag Ranks Congress: Amash ‘Lobbyists’ Worst Enemy’

Washingtonian magazine this week released
its fifteenth biennial survey on the best and worst of all the
Congresscritters roaming our great nation’s swampy capital.

The publication
takes a jab at them:

Despite approval ratings lower than Vladimir Putin’s, the men
and women of the 113th Congress have continued to debate,
investigate, raise funds, and campaign with ebullience. Seeing as
little if any legislation arises from their activities, it’s
apparent that if there are winners and losers, hits and misses, the
average citizen isn’t privy to the scorecard.

As such, the survey is conducted not among the great unwashed of
the American public, but among the aides of these lawmakers.

Most of the categories have a total of four spots, two for each
house. For example, the “meanest” in the Senate are 1. Barbara
Mikulski (D-Md.) and 2. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and in the House are
1. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) and 2. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.).

However, one category, Lobbyists’ Worst Enemy, has a lone
representative: Justin Amash (R-Mich.). The libertarian-leaning
congressman, who posts on Facebook detailed explanations of all of
his votes in the House, succinctly commented on his
distinction: “Hmm.”

Conspicuously below him in the Lobbyists’ Best Friend category
were two other Republicans: 1. Eric Cantor (Va.) and 2. John
Boehner (Ohio).

Of course, Cantor’s biggest
distinction this year was
losing his primary. He is the first sitting House majority
leader ever to manage that. Washingtonian notes that the
survey was handed out just after his loss. Cantor resigned in
August but bounced right into an investment bank gig worth $3.4
million.

As for Boehner,
rumors have long swirled that fellow Republicans are going to
try to oust him from his Speaker position.

Some other interesting highlights from the poll include Sen.
Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who earned spots in the Rising Star, Best
Speaker, Surprise Standout (whatever that means), and Most Likely
to Run for President (with competition only from Marco Rubio
(R-Fla.).

On the other hand, presidential hopeful Ted Cruz (R-Tex.)
“earned… a variety of dubious distinctions in our survey, including
showhorse, clueless, and most disappointing—and that was just from
Republicans,” explains Washingtonian.

Read the rest of the rankings
here.

Read about how earlier this year, an affiliate magazine,
Washingtonian Mom accidentally revealed that former Press
Secretary Jay Carney
decorates his house with communist propaganda.