Americans are fed up with corruption. The growing number of scandals at all levels of government throughout the nation is having a devastating impact on citizens’ faith in the integrity of government and the democratic process. Trust in government has plummeted to alarmingly low levels and continues to fall.
In order to restore trust and protect our democracy, we must establish significant and sensible restrictions to prohibit unethical behavior and protect the public from the excessive influence of special interests. Thus, I strongly support enacting the most stringent ethical standards yet to prevent the corruption that plagued the previous Congress—no more lobbyist gifts, free meals, and private jets.
In addition to banning various freebies, ethics reform must include increased disclosure of lobbyists’ contributions to lawmakers, more stringent penalties for violations, and additional restrictions to close the revolving door between public service and lobbying shops. Americans deserve an ethical government, and I will fight hard to end the culture of corruption and gift giving by insisting on the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
