POLICY

Former DOT Secretary LaHood backs Emanuel for job he once held

Emanuel, former Obama chief of staff, faces fierce opposition from progressive Democrats over his tenure as Chicago's mayor

By Jessica Wehrman
Posted December 2, 2020 at 6:00am

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has received scathing reactions from critics who worry that he might be tapped to serve as President-elect Joe Biden’s Secretary of Transportation — but a high-profile ally stepped forward.

Former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who served as secretary from 2009 to 2013, said late Tuesday that he reached out to Biden’s chief of staff Ron Klain about 10 days ago to offer a strong endorsement of Emanuel for the position he once held.

“I think he would be hands-down the best secretary of Transportation that President-elect Biden could nominate,” LaHood said in an interview.

LaHood, who now serves as co-chair of Building America’s Future, an organization devoted to pushing for infrastructure investment, said Klain immediately responded to LaHood’s lengthy email recommending Emanuel for the job. “He knew exactly what I was talking about,” he said.

{snip}