Changes

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] and served as a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his Fourth District, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the Red River between Shreveport and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] and served as a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his Fourth District, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the Red River between Shreveport and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].

In 1976, Waggonner was arrested for soliciting an undercover police decoy in [[Washington, D.C.]], for purposes of [[prostitution]]. He was released because at that time lawmakers enjoyed immunity from prosecution for [[misdemeanor]] offenses. After the Waggonner case, the law was changed to allow congressional members to face misdemeanor charges with the exception of parking violations.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ppIIbWkftv4C&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=Joe+D.+Waggonner+arrest&source=bl&ots=WgR2ondm8i&sig=bD9XbjT4DrFQF3ut8Yby-bzeNco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y8VCT7aBNISq2QWg6qjdBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Joe%20D.%20Waggonner%20arrest&f=false|title=Jeffrey M. Eliot et al, The Congressional-Presidential Political Dictionary (1984), p. 194|publisher=|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref>  

In 1976, Waggonner was arrested for soliciting an undercover police decoy in [[Washington, D.C.]], for purposes of [[prostitution]]. He was released because at that time lawmakers enjoyed immunity from prosecution for [[misdemeanor]] offenses. After the Waggonner case, the law was changed to allow congressional members to face misdemeanor charges with the exception of parking violations.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ppIIbWkftv4C&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=Joe+D.+Waggonner+arrest&source=bl&ots=WgR2ondm8i&sig=bD9XbjT4DrFQF3ut8Yby-bzeNco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y8VCT7aBNISq2QWg6qjdBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Joe%20D.%20Waggonner%20arrest&f=false|title=Jeffrey M. Eliot et al, The Congressional-Presidential Political Dictionary (1984), p. 194|publisher=|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref>  

When Waggonner did not run again in 1978, Nixon's successor, [[Gerald Ford]], came into the Fourth District to support a Republican candidate, Jimmy Wilson of Vivian in Caddo Parish. Waggonner chided Ford for making the appearance for Wilson and instead strongly supported Democrat Claude "Buddy" Leach of Leesville in Vernon Parish, who won the seat for one term.  In 1980, Leach was unseated by [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Bossier City]], then a Democrat. The Fourth District is now represented by the Republican [[John Fleming]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish.

When Waggonner did not run again in 1978, Nixon's successor, [[Gerald Ford]], came into the Fourth District to support a Republican candidate, Jimmy Wilson of Vivian in Caddo Parish. Waggonner chided Ford for making the appearance for Wilson and instead strongly supported Democrat Claude "Buddy" Leach of Leesville in Vernon Parish, who won the seat for one term.  In 1980, Leach was unseated by [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Bossier City]], then a Democrat. The Fourth District is now represented by the Republican [[John Fleming]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish.