house Bill H.R. 7104
Should Lobbyists Have to Disclose Past Convictions for Crimes Like Bribery & Extortion?
Argument in favor
Lobbyists influence important policymakers, including members of Congress and the White House. With this in mind, such individuals shouldn’t be able to hide convictions for serious crimes which may indicate corruption or a broader unsuitability to serve as advisors.
11/07/2018
Lobbyists influence important policymakers, including members of Congress and the White House. With this in mind, such individuals shouldn’t be able to hide convictions for serious crimes which may indicate corruption or a broader unsuitability to serve as advisors.
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11/07/2018
DUH ! YAH !!!!!!!! NO CONVICTED FINANCIAL FELONS IN ANY LOBBYING POSITIONS PERIOD ! BTW CONGRESS PEOPLE, GET BUSY MAKING IN TO LAW ALL TRADITIONAL ETHICAL NORMS OF THE WHITE HOUSE !!! NOW !!!!!
Argument opposed
As a professionalization of activism, lobbying is very tricky to regulate without overstepping First Amendment protections. It’d be better to risk the occasional lobbyist hiding past convictions, than to risk curtailing free speech rights in order to reveal a small number of individuals.
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11/07/2018
Wrong solution to the problem. The real solution is for politicians not to accept bribes and other illegal forms of influence. If politicians aren't crooks then it won't matter if lobbyists are.
11/08/2018
The very nature of a lobbyist is criminal their job is to bribe elected officials the bill should be to abolish lobbyists.
11/07/2018
Anybody who steps inside the beltway as a player is a convict. Because only a convict would want to play ball in Washington
Wrong solution to the problem. The real solution is for politicians not to accept bribes and other illegal forms of influence. If politicians aren't crooks then it won't matter if lobbyists are.
Lobbyists influence important policymakers, including members of Congress and the White House. With this in mind, such individuals shouldn’t be able to hide convictions for serious crimes which may indicate corruption or a broader unsuitability to serve as advisors.
DUH ! YAH !!!!!!!! NO CONVICTED FINANCIAL FELONS IN ANY LOBBYING POSITIONS PERIOD ! BTW CONGRESS PEOPLE, GET BUSY MAKING IN TO LAW ALL TRADITIONAL ETHICAL NORMS OF THE WHITE HOUSE !!! NOW !!!!!
This should be a no brainer. They should disclose who they work for and any criminal conventions of any kind. Along with gratuity payoffs to a party and this should be part of all bills and made public. These bills they push effect our lives and we have a right to know and see what is stuffed inside. Just look at this election I bet every ballot bill has hidden bills that will cost us money or freedoms. I bet lobbyists are tied to them as well, I think they should be gone from the politician arena all together in my book.
Lobbyists are an active force in our lawmaking. We need to be as careful choosing our lobbyists as we are with our congress.
I would support this bill as long as "lobbyist" is defined accurately and fairly. I can easily see this being used to shut down relatively small activists if their message threatens the profits of large corporations.
The very nature of a lobbyist is criminal their job is to bribe elected officials the bill should be to abolish lobbyists.
It’s hard to believe that this is even a question. Of course lobbyists should be required by law to disclose any criminal convictions. There are consequences to being a criminal and full disclosure of the risk that others face working with a convicted criminal is one of them.
Yes, but if we just ban ALL lobbyists, altogether, we will not have to worry about their corrupt, unethical, immoral behavior and acts.
Yes. And I also think that convictions for bribery, extortion or theft should disqualify them from being lobbyists. Our public servants shouldn’t be bought and paid for by convicted criminals.
If convicted of such crimes they should have to disclose it just like anyone with a criminal record.
Personally, I think we need to do away with lobbyists altogether.
Anybody who has been convicted of bribery or extortion should not be a lobbyist in the first place!
Yes and candidates for all elected offices, and potential presidential appointees and officers of the United States should undergo psychological assessment, basic background investigation and drug testing.