DC: Two Republican senators introduced legislation to ban members of Congress from lobbying Congress once they exit office, and although the lawmakers are “barking up the right tree,” their solution might not be realistic, a government transparency expert told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Braun of Indiana are the cosponsors of the Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act.
“You generally do see more of a reform agenda from some of the newer members that come into the Senate or into the House. We’re hoping some of their policies actually gain traction and can be supported in a bipartisan way,” Scott Amey, general counsel at the Project on Government Oversight, told TheDCNF in a phone interview. “The public is tired of politics as usual.”
Scott and Braun want to put an end to lawmakers stepping into the so-called “revolving door of K Street” — using their connections to become well-heeled lobbyists once they are out of office. Current law mandates ex-House members must wait a year to lobby their former colleagues, while ex-senators must wait two.
“I’m proud to introduce this bill that imposes a permanent ban on members of Congress becoming lobbyists. Rather than serving the public, too many in Washington spend their political careers preparing for a lucrative job at a DC lobbying firm where they can cash in on their connections and their access,” Scott said in a statement March 1.
How about just eliminating lobbying altogether. Special interests shouldn’t influence legislation. Ah, who am I kidding. They always find a workaround.
Rots’a ruck guys….
A bill like this will never pass unless it amended so much that it looks good to vote for but is meaningless in practice.
So what is Jeff Flake up to? He’s been uncharacteristically quiet lately.
Different Tim – – If you get rid of lobbying altogether how will congressmen be able to augment their income if they can’t receive nefarious campaign contributions?
Snowball + hell.
How about investigating how long term members of both houses have accumulated their millions?
Cherry Bark….I suggested on the WH website that very thing. Everyone here should do it.
If the FedGov weren’t in the “goodies” business, there’d be no lobbyists looking to collect. Once the Feds broke the bonds of our Constitution (with the blessings of the Supreme maggots) all was set for plunder.
Fix the problem – not the indicative symptom.
(if your Air Conditioner continues to burn out fuses, the problem isn’t the fuses)
izlamo delenda est …
Wish them luck. Making money is what Washington is all about. Its going the route of term limits.