Bob Corker : U.S. Senate

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In Juvenile, Non-Senatorial Fashion, Ford Unwittingly Draws Increased Attention to Corker Lobbying Reform Plan By Crashing Memphis News Conference
Press Release
10/21/2006 12:52:54 PM

Nashville, TN – In a juvenile, non-Senatorial manner, Washington Congressman Harold Ford today crashed U.S. Senate candidate Bob Corker’s news conference at the Memphis airport where Corker outlined a lobbying reform plan in which the key plank prohibits family members from lobbying the same Chamber in which the relative serves. “Washington Congressman Harold Ford’s juvenile, non-Senatorial behavior is proof positive that his campaign is unraveling,” said Todd Womack, communications director for the Corker campaign. “We are enormously pleased Ford has unwittingly drawn more attention to Bob Corker’s lobbying reform plan, which is designed to dismantle the very system in Washington from which the Ford Political Machine profits,” he stated.

In order to remove the well-earned appearance of impropriety that hovers over the Ford Political Machine, Womack then challenged Ford to endorse the plank of Corker’s plan stating that, “Immediate family members of Senators and Representatives (including parents, spouses, and children) should be barred from lobbying the Body of Congress where their family member serves.”

The proposals are as follows:

No Family Members as Lobbyists: Immediate family members of Senators and Representatives (including parents, spouses, and children) should be barred from lobbying the Body of Congress where their family member serves.

Full Travel Disclosure: Whenever a Member of Congress or a staff member travels at the expense of a third party, it must be fully reported, and the organization that pays for the travel must fully disclose the funding source. Thus, when a member of Congress gets a free trip – as Congressman Ford has done 69 times – citizens know who is footing the bill and what they might expect in return.

Earmark Reform: Earmarks – or money for special projects – should be fully disclosed 48 hours before there is a final vote to ensure accountability and maximize transparency. The Line-Item Veto should also be passed, so the President can strike specific projects from a bill if he believes they are wasteful, extraneous or contrary to the national interest.

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