by Nick Tomboulides
In an exclusive U.S. Term Limits video, the man once dubbed “America’s most notorious lobbyist” says Congress will never be fixed without term limits.
There might not be anyone in America who understands Congress better than Jack Abramoff. Abramoff spent decades rising in Republican ranks to become one of D.C.’s biggest lobbyists, before his empire crumbled under bribery and fraud charges in 2006.
Now, he is talking to U.S. Term Limits in an exclusive.
“When I was a lobbyist, I hated the idea that a congressman who I had bought with years of contributions would decide to retire,” Abramoff tells USTL. “That meant I had to start all over again with a new member, losing all the control I bought with years of checks.”
Enacting term limits would frustrate lobbyists by replacing their corrupt pals with citizens who cannot be bought as easily.
“If you want to see pigs screeching at the trough, tell them they cannot stay there forever. There’s no trough as dangerous as the one in Washington,” Abramoff adds. “So let’s clean up the corrupt mess. Let’s enact term limits and restore control of our nation to the people.”
Abramoff wasn’t paid for his appearance. He is speaking out because he believes, like 75 percent of Americans, that government by career politicians has failed. His message underscores the importance of our Term Limits Convention campaign, which will enact term limits on Congress once 34 state legislatures have called for it.
Lobbyist opposition has long been a thorn in the side of the term limits movement. Over the years, lobbyists and their clients have spent tens of millions of dollars to stop term limits and keep their favored politicians in office. Despite this, lawmakers continue to claim that lobbyists like term limits. The people know better, and Jack Abramoff’s video permanently shatters that myth.
Nick Tomboulides is the Executive Director of U.S. Term Limits
Transcript of the video of Jack Abramoff, Former Lobbyist
Congress will never be fixed without term limits.
And I should know. I used to be one of the biggest lobbyists in Washington. Lobbyists and special interests have our government in their grips. America’s furious with what has become of our republic, but few know what to do about it. I’ll tell you one thing that would make a huge difference – term limits.
When I was a lobbyist, I hated the idea that a Congressman who I had bought with years of contributions would decide to retire. That meant I had to start all over again with a new member, losing all the control I bought with years of checks.
One of the best ways to reduce lobbyist and special-interest control in Washington is to enact term limits for members of Congress. If you want to see pigs screeching at the trough, tell them they can’t stay there forever.
There’s no trough as dangerous as the one in Washington. So let’s clean up the corrupt mess. Let’s enact term limits and restore control of our nation to the people.