Stop the presses: A conservative hardliner and a Democratic socialist have found something to work on together — through Twitter, no less.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) got into a Twitter exchange on Thursday, which resulted in the two lawmakers vowing to work on a bipartisan bill to ban the practice of lawmakers becoming lobbyists after leaving Congress.
It began when Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “If you are a member of Congress + leave, you shouldn’t be allowed to turn right around&leverage your service for a lobbyist check. I don’t think it should be legal at ALL to become a corporate lobbyist if you’ve served in Congress.”
If you are a member of Congress + leave, you shouldn’t be allowed to turn right around&leverage your service for a lobbyist check.
I don’t think it should be legal at ALL to become a corporate lobbyist if you’ve served in Congress.
At minimum there should be a long wait period. https://t.co/xMu9Mwmdm6
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 30, 2019
Cruz retweeted her, saying “Here’s something I don’t say often: on this point, I AGREE with @AOC. Indeed, I have long called for a LIFETIME BAN on former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists.”
Then the Republican senator made an offer: “The Swamp would hate it, but perhaps a chance for some bipartisan cooperation?”
“Let’s make a deal,” Ocasio-Cortez responded. “If we can agree on a bill with no partisan snuck-in clauses, no poison pills, etc – just a straight, clean ban on members of Congress becoming paid lobbyists – then I’ll co-lead the bill with you.”
“You’re on,” Cruz replied.
You’re on. https://t.co/S3TBfNeO3Q
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 30, 2019
Good. The legislation will very likely not go anywhere, but good all the same.
It’s remarkable to see but I’d bet most Americans agree on this. And I’ll give Cruz a mustard seed’s worth of credit for suggesting it, and AOC a good bit more for taking him up on it.
ETA other way around. But let’s not bicker and argue about 'oo killed 'oo.
Not so fast with that credit to Rafael! The twitter thread went as follows:
AOC drove this. And Rafael followed, having done the math on his presidential profile in 2024. But still creditable all round.
AOC pwns another right wing nut job. She can do no wrong.
I do wonder if Cruz just knows everyone hates him so no one would pay him to be their lobbyist but if his support helps, I really want to see a bill like this pass
p.s. I believe this is part of HR1 which Democrats introduced early this year but a part I’ve been worried would get dropped or watered down if it ever got a chance to pass