Ted Cruz Lauds Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez For Swamp-Draining Proposal: ‘I AGREE With AOC’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) call to end to the revolving door between lobbying jobs and Congress drew a surprising endorsement from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Here’s something I don’t say often: on this point, I AGREE with @AOC 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? https://t.co/jPW0xkH2Yy
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 30, 2019
“Here’s something I don’t say often: I AGREE with AOC,” Cruz said. “Indeed, I have long called for a LIFETIME BAN on former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists.”
If you are a member of Congress + leave, you shouldn’t be allowed to turn right around&leverage your service for a lobbyist check.
I don’t think it should be legal at ALL to become a corporate lobbyist if you’ve served in Congress.
At minimum there should be a long wait period. https://t.co/xMu9Mwmdm6
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez was herself responding to a report from the liberal think tank Public Citizen that noted nearly 60% of former congress members from the last session of Congress now work in some sort of lobbying job. The number includes former Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, whom Ocasio-Cortez defeated in a 2018 primary.
“I don’t think it should be legal at ALL to become a corporate lobbyist if you’ve served in Congress.” Ocasio-Cortez said. “At minimum there should be a long wait period.”
The tweet was part of a longer thread where the freshman congresswoman discussed the fact that a ban on lobbying would need to include a serious discussion on congressional pay rates.
Keeping it real, the ? in the room w/ passing a lobbying ban on members requires a nearly-impossible discussion about Congressional pay.
It is understandably unpopular to discuss giving Congress any raises or perks – & bc of that, there’s incentive to keep $ loopholes open. /2
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
For ex, members of Congress have strict restrictions that most of the public don’t have.
1 case: bc of our jobs we *have* to have 2 residences & pay for it out of pocket. BUT we‘re banned from writing it off as a work expense.
Boo hoo, right? Well, that incentivizes loopholes.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
There are plenty of examples. Another big one is spousal loopholes. They’re tough discussions & politically unpopular.
It’s one under-discussed side to cracking the nut of money in politics.
Multi-millionaires can also weaponize these convos to their advantage, for cuts.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
Some people have brought up Congressional dorms – certainly a possibility.
This does happen informally; lots of members live in the same building/apt. Key to any solution (dorm, stipend, w/e) is compatibility w family/spouse- many work overtime, unrecognized, to support members.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
[Image via Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images]
