INDReporter

Number crunch redux: WaPo doesn't jibe

by Walter Pierce

We were alerted to the discrepancy by Doug Sachtleben, communications director for Rep. John Fleming, R-Shreveport.

We referenced on the blog Monday a story posted by The Political Desk in which the watchdog website highlighted votes missed by members of the Louisiana congressional delegation and, based on their average annual salary, how much money they earned for missed votes. The Political Desk relied on The Washington Post's database of congressional votes - and that's where there seems to be a problem: The Political Desk's figures jibe with WaPo's, but the Post's figures don't match those posted on GovTrack, a federal database that also tracks congressional votes. GovTrack's numbers are for votes taken through Dec. 20 of last year.

We were alerted to the discrepancy by Doug Sachtleben, communications director for Rep. John Fleming, R-Shreveport. The Political Desk via The Washington Post has Fleming missing 67 votes since his first term began in January 2009. However, according to GovTrack, Fleming has missed only 23 votes out of more than 2,600 voting opportunities.

So for the record, here are GovTrack's numbers on the Louisiana congressional delegation's voting habits:

Rep. Rodney Alexander - 247 votes missed out of 6,914 total votes cast since Jan. 7, 2003
Rep. Charles Boustany - 154 votes missed out of 5,693 votes cast since Jan. 4, 2005
Rep. Bill Cassidy - 77 votes missed out of 2,603 votes cast since Jan. 6, 2009
Rep. John Fleming - 23 votes missed out of 2,603 votes cast since Jan. 6, 2003
Rep. Jeff Landry - 44 votes missed out of 948 votes cast since Jan. 5, 2011
Rep. Cedric Richmond - 26 votes missed out of 948 votes cast since Jan. 5, 2011
Rep. Steve Scalise - 45 votes missed out of 3,026 votes cast since May 7, 2008
Sen. Mary Landrieu - 130 votes missed out of 4,825 votes cast since Jan. 22, 1997
*Sen. David Vitter - 239 votes missed out of 5,494 votes cast since June 8, 1999*

*Includes votes cast as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1999-2004

See GovTrack's complete list for all members of Congress here.