Yesterday at Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, I unveiled my CLEAN House Plan and signed an ethics pledge that goes above and beyond what is currently required of Members of Congress. I challenged my opponent, Jim Gerlach, to do the same.
My Congressional Lobbying and Ethics Agenda for the Nation (CLEAN) House Plan goes far beyond the proposals currently being offered in the Congress by both Republicans and Democrats.
My ethics pledge sets the strictest of standards for personal and professional ethics for a Representative in Congress. Please feel free to review the pledge here: http://www.loismurphy.org/... and send me your comments.
I'm concerned that Americans are getting more and more cynical about Congress. It seems that every day we hear about a new link between Congressional leaders and Jack Abramoff. Right here in Pennsylvania's Sixth District, Jim Gerlach took $30,000 from Tom DeLay and then voted with him 90% of the time.
We need to clean up the culture of pay-to-play politics in Washington, DC. We need to restore an atmosphere of hope. We can achieve great things, but only if we work together to put the people's interests first.
That's why ethics and lobbying reform are so important and why I have created the CLEAN House Plan.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on my ethics and lobbying reform agenda this morning. Here's a clip:
What she called the pay-to-play culture in Washington, fueled by special-interest money, is having a "corrosive effect on democracy," Murphy said. She said the issue is the most critical one facing the nation today.
"If we don't strive to accomplish [reform], we might as well fold up our tent," she said. "Government will not belong to us anymore."
We must clean up the culture in Washington so that we can honestly and effectively address the real needs of working Americans.
Please take a moment to read my pledge and email me your comments at info@loismurphy.org. I am committed to truly changing the status quo, and strong ethics reform is the first necessary step.
Together, we can erase the cynicism and restore honor and trust in Washington.
Lois Murphy