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Lott Latest High-Ranking GOP Lawmaker To Resign

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Los Angeles Times

Published: November 27, 2007

Sen. Trent Lott, a 35-year Capitol Hill veteran who staged a political comeback after losing his Senate leadership post because of racially insensitive remarks, plans to resign from office before the year is out.

With his decision, the Senate's No. 2 Republican will avoid a new ethics rule that takes effect by the end of the year, allowing him to pursue a lobbying job after a year's wait rather than after two.

The Mississippi senator is the latest veteran Republican lawmaker, including former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois, to plan to depart Congress after the party lost its majority to Democrats in the 2006 election. He is the sixth GOP senator to announce plans to leave the narrowly divided chamber, which is mired by partisan conflict that is expected to worsen as the 2008 campaign heats up.

"One of the things that troubles me now is the great difficulty in passing needed legislation," Lott said Monday in Pascagoula, Miss.

Lott, who only last year won re-election, said he has made no decision on his post-congressional career. "I don't know what the future holds for us," he said. The timing of his departure fueled speculation that Lott, 66, was leaving to join the parade of former lawmakers who turn to lobbying to cash in on their experience and connections.

An ethics bill doubles, to two years, the "cooling off" period that senators must wait after leaving Capitol Hill before they can lobby their former colleagues. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said he will appoint a successor to serve until an election is held next year. Republican Reps. Charles W. "Chip" Pickering and Roger Wicker are considered possible successors.

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