Is this a big big issues? No. Is it a problem? Yes. Too many lawmakers turn their insider knowledge from even just a term or two into a career in lobbying for companies to get more taxpayer money
TED CRUZ AND OCASIO-CORTEZ FIND SOMETHING THEY CAN WORK ON TOGETHER. OTHER LAWMAKERS JOIN IN
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found something they agree on Thursday, and other lawmakers say they will pitch in, Ocasio-Cortez announced in a Thursday evening tweet.
“Okay, with [Democratic California Sen. Brian Schatz and Cruz] we’ve got at least one D-R team in the Senate to ban members becoming lobbyists, [and] myself w/ [Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy] makes at least one D-R team in the House. And that’s just in a few hours – there will surely be more from both parties to sign on. Nice,†Ocasio-Cortez wrote with a thumbs-up emoji.
Cruz and Ocasio-Cortez bantered about their shared discontent with the so-called “revolving door of K Street†— federal lawmakers using their connections to become well-heeled lobbyists once they are out of office. Law mandates ex-House members must wait a year to lobby their former colleagues, while ex-senators must wait two.
A report finding around half of ex-members of the 115th Congress went straight to lobbying and other gigs with federal influence came out Thursday and prompted the exchange.
“Here’s something I don’t say often: on this point, I AGREE with [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]. Indeed, I have long called for a LIFETIME BAN on former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists. The Swamp would hate it, but perhaps a chance for some bipartisan cooperation?†Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wrote on Twitter Thursday.
Unfortunately, you can bet that there will be enough members who will be against this because they want to get that sweet, sweet money once they leave Congress, so they’ll refuse to vote for any legislation.
Hate to say this, but I would be against such lobbying rules.
1) It does seem to be a restriction of speech or certainly opportunity.
2) If you don’t like lobbyists, don’t meet with them. It’s that simple.
The anti-lobbyist rules always only address one side of the equation.
Lobbyists exist because they are effective within Congress. Eliminate that effectiveness, and lobbyists go away or are substantially reduced.