Fw: Put TEETH Into Anti-Corruption Efforts

[Guest guest]

This is so sad because our Lori is no longer with us. She did not have a computer, but we gave her permission to use ours. I plan on leaving her name with P/C because it keeps her close to us.

Love to all...........Lea

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Put TEETH Into Anti-Corruption Efforts

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Corruption in Congress Impacts Your Energy Bill, the Federal Deficit, Disappearing Jobs and More. Grab the Momentum of the Past Electionand Tell Congress You Support the New Anti-Corruption Effort and MORE.Act Now

November 22, 2006

GRAB THE MOMENTUMand Get Real Teeth Put IntoAnti-Corruption ReformEfforts in Congress

Incoming Speaker Pelosi promised to pass lobbying and ethics reform on Day One of the next Congress. Her bill is a big step forward, but also needs to do more. Write your rep: Give the Office of Public Integrity Real AuthorityDear LORI, Earlier this month we shared with you the good news -- the great news -- that the next Speaker of the House, Rep. Pelosi, was promising " . . .the most honest, most open and most ethical Congress in history . . ."

Incoming Speaker Pelosi is now in the process of delivering on that promise. Her Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006 (H.R. 4682) is a starting point, and its creation of an independent Office of Public Integrity (OPI) is something Public Citizen has been advocating for the past year. But that new office needs some "teeth" put into it to effectively do the job. Besides monitoring lobbyists as it now is written to do, it should also monitor Congressional members and their staff to ensure that they are also following the rules that prevent corruption.

Corruption is non-partisan and can follow wherever there is a concentration of great power. An independent ethics monitor should be strong enough to withstand political pressure and the concentration of power in any party or institution. Without it, the recurrence of scandals is as predictable as death and taxes.

Keep reminding Congress that you mean business and want an end to corruption -- no matter who is in charge. Tell your representative to strengthen the reform bill and put the Office of Public Integrity in charge of monitoring lobbyists AND members of Congress.

Sincerely,

Royelen Lee BoykieManager of Online InitiativesPublic CitizenP.S. As we observe this holiday, please know that I thank you and appreciate all you do in support of democracy and in support of Public Citizen.

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