Invite Coloradoans to Join Democrats in Calling for Ethics Reform

Denver - In a statement today, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak today applauded Colorado's Democrats in Washington for rolling out a national reform campaign designed to provide the American people with the honest leadership and open government they deserve.

Pat Waak urged the people of Colorado to join Democrats in demanding honest leaders who are accountable to the people by signing the national Honest Leadership Petition at www.democrats.org/Honesty. Today's statement follows news conferences in Columbus, Ohio, where Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean kicked off the national rollout of the Democratic reform agenda, and Washington where the Democratic leadership in Congress introduced the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act.

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act would end Republican culture of corruption by: Closing the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists by doubling the amount of time lawmakers and staffers must wait before lobbying Congress; Prohibiting the receipt of gifts, including meals, entertainment and travel, from lobbyists; Clamping down on "pay to play" systems like the one set by lobbyists like Jack Abramoff; and Ending efforts like the "K Street Project," which Republicans created to force corporations and lobbying firms to hire Republicans in exchange for political access.

"Democrats across American stand united in shining a spotlight on the Republican culture of corruption and putting forth an agenda of strong ethics reforms that will provide the American people with honest leadership at all levels of government," said Pat Waak. "These reforms represent an honest, common sense approach to breaking the grip of the Republican culture of corruption. As part of that effort, I strongly encourage Coloradoans to demand honest leadership and pledge to hold their leaders accountable by signing the Honest Leadership Petition.

"The Republican Party has built a corrupt system where money talks, but ordinary people have no voice. Wealthy special interests and scandal-plagued lobbyists like Jack Abramoff buy access and get results on any issue, no matter the public interest. Coloradoans can do better than Republican leaders who put the special interests ahead of Colorado's working families.

"I applaud the Democratic Party's national leadership for introducing a strong ethics reform package that reaffirms our Party's commitment to providing the American people with honest leadership. Democrats in Colorado and across America are fighting to strengthen government ethics rules, end the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists, tighten gift and travel rules, and clamp down on "pay to play" systems like the one set by Jack Abramoff and his cronies. The time has come for Republicans to join Colorado Democrats in fighting for honest leadership at all levels of government."

Pat Waak urged Coloradoans to go to www.democrats.org/Honest to sign a new Honest Leadership petition, which the American people can use to demand honest leadership from elected officials at all levels of government. As part of this initiative, Democratic elected officials at all levels of government will also be asked to sign the Democratic Declaration: Honest Leadership and Open Government, a pledge to adhere to the same standard of honest leadership and open government that Democrats are asking Republicans to honor. For more information on the Democratic Party's honest leadership agenda, visit www.democrats.org/honesty.