Peter Roskam was on NBC 5’s City Desk this past Sunday morning for a softball interview with host Mary Ann Ahern. Roskam opened with his usual complaints about a dysfunctional (read that as Democratic) Congress. He wants you to believe that he’s a reasonable guy who just wants to get thing s done for you but he’s stymied at every turn by less responsible members who are only interested in partisan politics and serving the needs of special interests.

Roskam is not telling you the truth. He is not only one of the most partisan members of Congress but also one of the most slavishly devoted to special interests.

During the current Congress, Peter Roskam has voted with his party 93.2% of the time. There are only 17 out of a total of 435 members, Republican or Democrat, who have voted more consistently with their party than Roskam. They are:

1. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), 93.9%
2. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), 93.8%
3. Rep. David Davis (R-TN), 93.8%
4. Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA), 93.8%
5. Rep. Stevan Pearce (R-NM), 93.8%
6. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH), 93.8%
7. Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), 93.7%
8. Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), 93.6%
9. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), 93.6%
10. Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA), 93.6%
11. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), 93.6%
12. Rep. Zachary Wamp (R-TN), 93.6%
13. Rep. John Mica (R-FL), 93.5%
14. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), 93.4%
15. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), 93.3%
16. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), 93.3%
17. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), 93.3%

It should be noted that only 4 out of 17 of these are Democrats. So Roskam is among the most hyper-partisan representatives and a member of the most hyper-partisan party. He is upset, not because of partisanship, but because his party is in the minority. He should be reminded that this is the case because his party proved to be massively corrupt in the previous Congresses and because it launched a preemptive aggressive war against a sovereign power which posed no real threat, sent a few thousand brave American men and women to their graves in that cause, and mortgaged our children’s future to pay for it all.

As for special interests, Roskam has compiled an impressive record, voting the position of the National Association of Manufacturers 100% of the time during his first term. Doing this has meant voting against the interests of the residents who live in his district on issues like equal pay for equal work, Medicare prescription drug price negotiation, and parity in mental health benefits for members of group health plans.

Roskam also spent a good deal of time on the show talking about high gasoline prices and the need for alternative energy sources. Roskam’s record however is one of obstructing Democratic efforts in this regard and voting instead in favor of protecting the big oil companies who are currently gouging us, all the while accepting substantial campaign contributions from the energy sector.

So 6th District residents, it is not Congress that is dysfunctional. It’s your Congressman. But don’t worry, we’re going to replace him this fall.

[Progress Illinois has a post today about Roskam's attempt to justify his vote against the new GI bill on the same program]