Issue Position: Ethics

Issue Position

Many, many people have lost faith in our elected leaders because of the way Washington does business. We need serious ethics reform to begin to restore Americans' belief that government can work for them.

Reducing the role of money in elections is a critically important reform. Here in Maine, we have seen how well public financing of elections can work, and it is time to establish a system for Congressional offices. Congress also needs tighter ethics rules -- including an independent ethics commission and a prohibition on any gifts from lobbyists, including travel and entertainment.

As president of Common Cause, I helped put a target on the back of Republican Majority Leader Tom Delay for his ethical violations and fought for serious and significant ethics reform in Congress. In the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal I testified before Congress on the need for an independent ethics commission. I fought for the ethics reform bill that Congress eventually passed and I believe that, although it's a good start, it doesn't go far enough.

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