Duckworth: Roskam's Mentor Leaves Congress, But Need for Reform Remains
Duckworth: Roskam's mentor leaves Congress, but need for reform remains
As Republican 6th District Congressional candidate Peter Roskam's political mentor, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), announces his intention to leave Congress, Tammy Duckworth again challenged Roskam to end his prolonged silence on the need for Congressional ethics reform.
Duckworth first made such a challenge to Roskam more than a month ago.
Roskam got his start in politics working for DeLay, and has since received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and other assistance from his former boss.
"Although Tom DeLay may be leaving, Congress is no closer to solving its ethics problems," said Duckworth. "The special interest lobbyists still reign through their campaign contributions and special favors."
Duckworth has spoken repeatedly during her campaign about the need for reform of current Congressional rules, especially those that address the relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists. She has said that the voters of the 6th District deserve to know that their next U.S. Representative will be committed to real reform.
Among the changes Duckworth has called for are reforms that would:
* Lengthen the time that former members of Congress are barred from becoming lobbyists from one to two years.
* Bar former members of Congress from using their access to the House floor to lobby current members.
* Prohibit travel paid for or arranged by lobbyistseven if intended for so-called "educational" purposes.
* Create a new Office of Public Integrity and an independent ethics enforcement commission to govern the behavior of lobbyists and Members of Congress and staff, as proposed by Sen. Barack Obama.
* End the use of "earmarks" in the Congressional budgeting and appropriations process to further reduce the influence of lobbyists.
Duckworth said that members of both parties have a duty to work for such changes, and criticized the U.S. Senate for passing a bill last week that represents a "watered-down version" of reform.
So far, the Republican leadership in Congress has refused to enact comprehensive reforms. And the House Ethics Committee has not taken up any of the scandals committed by DeLay and his cronies.
"It may be that Peter Roskam is so indebted to the House leaders and the special interest lobbyists who are funding his campaign that he's decided to remain silent," Duckworth said. "But the voters of this district want change, not more of the same. The last thing we need is a Congressman who will rubber-stamp the status quo."
Roskam has a lengthy history of connections to DeLayincluding his employment with the Texas lawmaker and DeLay's repeated assistance in financing his campaigns.
During Roskam's failed run in Illinois 13th Congressional District in 1998, Roskam took money from DeLay.
Last year, when DeLay was already under investigation, DeLay participated in a Roskam fundraiser held in Washington, D.C. (The Hill, Nov. 9, 2005).
During this campaign, Roskam has recalled his service with DeLay:
"I ended up working for then-freshman Congressman Tom DeLay," Roskam said in an on-line interview, adding: " I was a legislative correspondent and then a legislative assistant. Ultimately, I was handling health care and education issues. ("Illinois Review" interview, posted March 30, 2006). In the interview, Roskam praised DeLayhis first boss in Washington, D.C.for "the sense of clarity" that he provided.
"Rather than praising Tom DeLay for his sense of clarity, Peter Roskam ought to offer some clarity to Illinois voters on how he will change a broken system in Washington," Duckworth said.
"So far, Mr. Roskam's silence has been deafening."
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