Ray LaHood (pictured), who represented the Springfield and Peoria areas in the U.S. House for fourteen years, resigned Monday as chair of a relatively new governance board. The resignation comes shortly after the U.S. Attorney’s office announced LaHood – more than a year ago – paid a $40,000 fine to resolve allegations he hid a $50,000 loan from authorities.

Via email, Emily Bittner, director of communications for the governor’s office said:

“The governor accepted Mr. LaHood’s resignation as chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum this morning. Under Mr. LaHood’s leadership, the museum is in a far stronger position today than it was a few years ago. Governor Pritzker is grateful for Mr. LaHood’s service, and especially his vision in attracting an outstanding and historic new executive director: Christina Shutt. His stewardship of the museum during this pandemic also preserved this remarkable Illinois gem.”

Shutt, leader of an African-American cultural center in Little Rock, will be the museum’s first Black director.

It was hoped at the time that Shutt would, once and for all, stop the negative press coming from the museum. The most recent director was fired for loaning the museum’s copy of the Gettysburg Address to talk show host Glenn Beck. Ethical questions have surrounded numerous museum players virtually throughout ALPLM’s almost twenty-year history.

About ten years ago, LaHood – claiming financial difficulty and a need to repair his home – accepted the loan, the source of which was a Lebanese-Nigerian suspected terrorist on the U.S. “no fly” list.

In addition to the $40,000 fine, the non-prosecution agreement with the government required LaHood to repay the loan.

After leaving Congress, LaHood, father of current U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap), served as transportation secretary in the Obama White House.

Ray LaHood did not respond to a request for comment.