John Dingell on Congress: 'This place is about as poisonous as I've ever seen'

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, at a campaign event in 2010.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, the 85-year-old Dean of the House, is featured in a new Vanity Fair article that seeks to get to the bottom of the divisiveness in Washington.

And who better to ask than the senior sitting member of Congress who has served continuously since 1955 and seen it all?

"This place is about as poisonous as I've ever seen it in my career," Dingell tells Vanity Fair. "There is little room for moderates. It used to be that when we'd get a bill that we'd really need, we could always count on some across-the-aisle dealings. No more."

Not only is Dingell the longest-serving member of the House in all of American history, but as Vanity Fair points out, he's within 17 months of breaking the late Robert Byrd's record for total combined congressional service in the House and Senate.

Commenting on House Speaker John Boehner's difficulties in controlling an "unruly flock," Dingell said: "I am still trying to figure out why Boehner wants that damn job."

Read the full article here

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

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