Scott Powers
U.S. Rep. David Jolly‘s proposed law to end campaign fundraising by sitting members of Congress has picked up two more cosponsors, including his wanna-be U.S. Senate opponent, Orlando’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.
Grayson had said during his internet-based debate with Republican Jolly Monday night that he would support Jolly’s Stop Act, House Resolution 4430, and he has done so, Jolly’s office announced Thursday. Also joining Jolly’s still-limited list of cosponsors is U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat.
“Republicans, Democrats and independents can all agree on one thing – the public did not elect members of Congress to go to Washington and spend their time raising money for their re-election,” Jolly said. “They are not paying members $174,000 a year to spend, in some cases 20 or 30 hours a week, on the phone dialing for dollars.”
Jolly, a Republican from Seminole, was able to make that pitch Sunday night on a segment of the CBS News show, “60 Minutes,” and has been getting attention all week for it. The issue was the first question raised in Monday’s novel debate held at WUCF in Orlando. Jolly pushed it, and Grayson said he would support it.
Jolly is in a primary fight for the Republican nomination to run for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. He faces U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis of Ponte Vedra Beach, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami, Orlando businessman Todd Wilcox and Bradenton businessman Carlos Beruff.
Grayson is in a primary fight for the Democratic nomination for the same seat, with U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens lawyer Pam Keith.
But for Jolly, the Stop Act has been his cause as a congressman.
“I believe we need a fundamental overhaul of our campaign finance laws,” Boyle stated in a news release from Jolly’s office. “The STOP Act is one step in the right direction.”
In that release, Grayson said, “money is the original sin of politics and government.”
The Stop Act now has eight cosponsors, including Florida U.S. Reps. John Mica of Winter Park and Rich Nugent of Spring Hill, both Republicans; Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican; Rick Nolan a Minnesota Democrat; and Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble, both Wisconsin Republicans.
