The Amy McGrath campaign today released her five-point plan for “Cleaning up the Washington Swamp.”
In a press release from the campaign, McGrath said, “Sen. Mitch McConnell is the architect of the corrupt and dysfunctional Washington that is designed to empower and enrich the wealthiest Americans, while the middle class foots the bill. It has never been more clear that we need more outsiders in Congress if we are ever going to clean up the mess that McConnell made.
“McConnell has spent 36 years building the Washington Swamp and ensuring that special interests can buy off elected officials. He’s waged legal challenges against campaign finance laws. He’s opened the door to dark money groups that now manipulate the electorate. It’s not a surprise that 4 out of 5 Americans don’t trust their government to do the right thing.”
Summary of the McGrath plan
For the complete plan instead of just an outline, go here on the campaign site.
1. Get big money out of politics
- Increase transparency – Require dark money groups to disclose donors
- Limit corporate power – Ban corporate PAC donations
- Pass a Constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United
2. Implement term limits
3. End the influence of lobbyists and special interests
- Close the revolving door – Implement a five year ban on going from serving in elected office to lobbying
- Prevent lobbyists from donating to the officials they lobby
- Prevent lobbyist fundraising
4. Expand voting rights
- Provide needed funding – Ensure states have the funding they need to have secure, efficient elections
- Protect voters’ rights – Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act
- Make voting easier – Restore former felons’ voting rights and make voter registration easier for every American.
- Secure our elections
5. Fight for a Washington with integrity
- Require honesty – Require the release of complete federal tax returns by members of Congress, the president, the cabinet, and the Supreme Court, and require that all candidates for federal office release tax returns dating back 10 years prior to the date they declared candidacy for their first federal office
- Prevent self-serving – Fight to end “Cadillac benefits,” benefits Congress members give themselves on the taxpayers’ dime.
- Increase accountability – establish a Commission on Federal Ethics to more effectively enforce federal ethics law and strengthen Inspector General laws to give IGs full subpoena power and the independence they need
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