Tony Trupiano's Letter to Thaddeus McCotter dates January 16, 2006
Tony Trupiano's Letter to Thaddeus McCotter dates January 16, 2006
January 17, 2006
Congressman Thaddeus McCotter
1632 Longworth House Office Building
Washington DC 20515
Dear Congressman McCotter:
Albert Einstein once said, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”
I am writing as a private citizen to tell you that small reforms in this messy congressional corruption scandal are not enough. I am writing as candidate for the Oakland County’s and Wayne County’s 11th Congressional District
to let you know the reforms I advocate to clean up the mess you and the Republican House leadership, of which you are a part as Assistant Whip, have allowed to happen.
Michiganders deserve a Congress that stands up for the highest standards of government service and a Representative that takes a strong stand against a broken system. Money has too much influence. Our elected officials are spending more time raising money and talking to lobbyists, who themselves almost always come with a check, than studying the issues and spending time talking to their voters back home.
Will you join with me in supporting these fundamental reforms? They are stronger than either the Republicans or the Democrats want, but I bet that they are just the kind of beginning that voters in the 11th Congressional District would support.
Ending a Culture of Corruption
• Lobbyists: Outlaw all “pay to play” rules that currently guide the relationship between the Congress and lobbyists. Expand the definition of lobbying to include providing strategic advice on legislation, Members of Congress, and the legislative process.
• No Fundraising in Washington: Outlaw fundraising by Senators and Representatives within 50 miles of Washington, DC, at any time. Outlaw fundraising by a Senator or Representative anywhere while Congress is in session.
• Independent Ethics Review: Create an independent ethics commission to investigate ethics allegations in the House and Senate. Senators and Representatives should not be left to investigate themselves any longer.
• Public Financing of Campaigns: Attack the problem at its root – the insatiable need for money to run campaigns creates a limitless appetite that lobbyists feed. Enact publicly-funded campaigns for Members of Congress, and a revamped and strengthened public financing program for presidential campaigns.
• Name Your Contributors on Your Official Website. Members of Congress should list the lobbyists who contribute to their campaign on their official government website. They should also list the meetings they and their staff have with lobbyists. And they should note the lobbyists who do not represent issues that affect their
district or state.
• Gift Ban: Forbid gifts by lobbyists to members of Congress and staff, including meals, entertainment and travel. Forbid elected officials and their staff from accepting gifts from registered lobbyists. (Gifts are anything of value including dinners and trips.)
o Private Jets: Require lawmakers and staff to pay fair market value for use of private and corporate airplanes.
o Skyboxes: Value sports and entertainment tickets in skyboxes at the cost of the highest priced ticket in the arena, and then disclose those gifts from lobbyists and special interests.
• Disclosure:
o Who Are You Lobbying? Require lobbyists to disclose all phone calls or meetings with members of Congress or administration officials, including the date and what issue or bill was being discussed.
o Who’s Paying the Lobbyists? Require lobbyists to disclose who is paying them and how much.
o Who Are You Paying? Forbid lobbyists from contributing money to any candidate for the Senate or the House or contributing to any political party’s campaign committee.
o Tell Us. Require more frequent reporting of activities by lobbyists, as often as monthly, and put the reports online for the public to see.
• Job Seeking: Require lawmakers to
notify the House clerk or secretary of the Senate if they are negotiating a job with a private employer that could pose a conflict of interest.
• Lobbyists as Campaign Officers: Prohibit registered lobbyists from acting as fundraisers and campaign treasurers for federal elected officials.
• False Non-Profits: Disclose lobbying activities by grassroots organizations founded and led by Members of Congress.
• Stop “Earmarking”: The term applies to the effort to slip spending items into appropriations bills, often at the request of lobbyists, usually after the bill has gone through committee, where the spending could be more closely scrutinized.
