Nusbaum Calls for an End to the Many Perks of Power

Nusbaum Calls for an End to the Many Perks of Power

-Luxury Jet Trips on the Corporate Dime are Just One of Many Problems with Washington-

Tday at a press conference, Nusbaum blasted Congress for their inability to truly focus on cleaning up the culture of corruption. Recently, the Senate passed a lobbying reform bill that did little more than make lobbyists disclose their corporate handouts, not stop them. The Senate bill does nothing to stop Representatives from flying on luxury private jets, held captive for many hours with their corporate patrons. In fact the use of corporate jets may now be used to skirt the potential meals ban as corporate executives are flown in to dine with legislators, picking up the tab instead of their now banned lobbyists. The House has not even acted on ethics reform, let alone banning the troubling use of private corporate jets as a tool of the special interests.

"We don't need more reports and paperwork to clean up Washington, we need real reform with real enforcement," said Nusbaum. "I have serious reservations about a bill that doesn't address travel, earmarks and enforcement."

Under current rules lawmakers pay only a small part of the market price of hiring a corporate jet. They only have to reimburse the company for a first class ticket, hardly the true cost of a luxury, private flying experience. In exchange for flying them to and from, and around, their districts, corporate executives, company representatives, and their fleet of lobbyists get unlimited access to lawmakers at 35,000 ft.

"When I am in Congress, I'm going to travel like everyone else. I don't think many people in Northeast Wisconsin know what the inside of a Pfizer luxury aircraft looks like and as your Representative, neither will I. The influence of special interests and big money hurts the hard working people of Northeast Wisconsin, hypnotizing lawmakers who forget the real people they work for," said Nusbaum.

We need a honest and determined effort to get the lobbyists and special interests out of the people's house and make the voices of hard working people heard in Washington. Nancy Nusbaum will use her experience, proven leadership and record of achievement to change the way business is done.

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