The Independent View: Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has introduced an “Anti-Corruption” Bill. The Act’s Assault on Money in Politics is pretty much Guaranteed to Enrage the Plutocrats who are used to Buying Congressional Votes for their Policy Preferences.

Warren's Bill requires the Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates must, by Law, Disclose Eight Years’ worth of Tax Returns as well as requiring them to release Tax Returns during each Year in Office. Place any Assets, that could Present a Conflict of Interest, into a Blind Trust or Sold-Off.

Her proposed Fix envisions a Washington where the President, Vice President, Cabinet Members, and Congressional Lawmakers have a Lifetime Ban on becoming Lobbyists, and other Federal Workers: both Congressional Staffers and Employees of Federal Agencies, at least Two Years, and Six Years for Corporate Lobbyists.

The Act would also Bar Federal Judges from Owning Individual Stocks or accepting Gifts or Payments that could potentially Influence the Outcome of their Rulings.

Warren’s Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act, would be Overseen by a New U.S. Office of Public Integrity, which would go after Violators and usher in a New Era of Ethics Law Enforcement.

The Idea is to “isolate and quarantine the ability of big money to infect the decisions made every day by every branch of our government,” she said in a speech on Tuesday. That means all Three Branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The Office would also try to Strengthen Open Records Laws, making Records more Easily Accessible to the Public and the Press.

The Bill is Designed to completely Overhaul a system that has benefited Politicians in both Political Parties. No more Revolving Door between Capitol Hill and K Street, No more Hiding Tax Returns, No more Benefitting from Inside Information affecting Stock Ownership.

Here are some of the Other Key Provisions:

- The IRS would also have to release Two Years’ worth of Tax Returns for Members of Congress, and require them to Release Tax Returns for each Lawmaker’s Year in Office.

- Banning Members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries, Federal Judges, White House Staff, Senior congressional Staff, and other Officials from Owning Individual Stocks while in Office.

- Changing the Rulemaking Process of Federal Agencies to severely Restrict the Ability of Corporations or Industry to Delay or Influence Rulemaking.

The Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act is endorsed by a diverse array of organizations, including the Government Accountability Project, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, League of Women Voters of the United States, Every Voice, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Public Citizen, Open the Government, Revolving Door Project, People Demanding Action, Campaign for Accountability, Demand Progress Action, Sunlight Foundation, Endangered Species Coalition, Democracy 21, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, and Progressive Change Campaign Committee.