Steve LaTourette (born July 22, 1954) is an American politician from Ohio. A Republican, he is currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, currently representing Ohio's 14th Congressional district. A graduate of the University of Michigan, LaTourette served as the County Prosecutor of Lake County, Ohio from 1989 to 1995. Promising to only serve two terms, he was elected to the House in 1994 in the wave of Republican successes in that year, defeating incumbent Eric Fingerhut. LaTourette served the 19th district of Ohio from 1995-2003. After the district was eliminated in the round of redistricting following the 2000 Census, LaTourette shifted to the 14th district of Ohio, where he currently serves the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, northeastern Summit County, and Ashtabula County. He is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and is chairman of that committee's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. Following his divorce and the outing of his affiar with his former chief of Staff, Jennifer Laptook, Latourette was replaced as a member of the House Ethics Committee.
LaTourette is a social conservative known particularly for his support by the National Rifle Association. He voted for Bill Clinton's impeachment. His overall voting record reflects a moderate conservatism, although he is a member of the moderate/liberal Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research, despite an overall opposition to abortion.
LaTourette became a controversial figure in the months following October 2003, when he telephoned his wife, Susan, that he was having an affair with a lobbyist and was filing for divorce. The affair was publicized in 2003 by The Hill newspaper, and the online news magazine Salon.com reported in October 2004 that LaTourette's mistress was Jennifer Laptook, a former aide now working as a lobbyist for Van Scoyoc Associates, which lobbies LaTourette's committee on a number of issues.
In October 2004, Washingtonian published the results of a survey of congressional staffers that awarded LaTourette the title of "No Alter Boy."
During the 2004 election campaign season, LaTourette's wife posted signs supporting the election of Capri S. Cafaro, LaTourette's opponent for re-election in 2004, at her home in Madison, Ohio.
