In Writing
My Pledge
Politicians say a lot of things during campaigns and forget most of them once they get elected. Here is what I am committing to in writing. Hold me to it.
The reason congressional approval ratings sit in the teens is not because voters are stupid. It is because voters can see exactly what is happening. Politicians make promises, take office, and then spend the next two years answering to donors instead of constituents. Everyone notices. Nobody can stop it.
I am writing this down before I get to Washington so that you can compare what I do to what I said I would do. If I break any of these, you have my words to throw back at me. If you ever feel like I am sliding, send me the link to this page.
No corporate PACs. No super PACs propping me up.
Every dollar going into this campaign comes from individual people. No corporate PACs, no industry trade groups, no AIPAC PACs, no defense contractor PACs. Super PACs are different. Candidates cannot legally coordinate with them or take their money directly. But they still matter, and if one ever spends money to support my campaign, I will publicly disavow them and demand they stop. The most I can do about super PACs is refuse the help. I will refuse it.
No individual stock trades by me or my family while I serve
Every dollar I have invested while in Congress will be in broad index funds or a blind trust. Members who buy individual stocks while sitting on committees that regulate those companies are not representing constituents. They are running a portfolio. The STOCK Act applied insider-trading rules to members and added disclosure requirements, but it did not prohibit the underlying conflict. Members can still trade individual stocks in industries their committees oversee. After-the-fact disclosure is not the same as preventing the conflict. I will not put anyone in the position of having to trust the disclosure system to know I am acting in good faith.
No DCCC dues for committee assignments
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee charges members 125,000 to over 500,000 dollars in dues to qualify for committee assignments. That is legalized corruption. It forces members to spend their time fundraising for the party instead of doing the job their constituents elected them to do. I will not pay these dues. If that costs me a committee seat, so be it.
No party call-time fundraising during House session days
Party committees pressure members to spend up to thirty hours a week in 'call time' rooms phoning donors for cash. Time spent dialing for dollars is time not spent reading bills, meeting with constituents, or doing the actual job. I will not call donors on days the House is in session. Period.
Publish my schedule
If I am meeting with a lobbyist, an executive, or a donor, that meeting goes on a public calendar with the name of the person and the topic. Constituent meetings on personal matters are private. The point is that no one buys access to me without it being on the public record.
Explain every vote
Every floor vote I cast will be posted on the campaign website with a written explanation in plain language. No hiding behind party leadership. No claiming I 'didn't know what was in the bill.' If I voted for it, I will tell you why.
Be accessible to constituents
I will hold public events in CA-15 where any constituent can ask any question. Not telephone town halls. Not staff-managed Q&A. Real, in-person, open to anyone who wants to show up. Frequency depends on what the work allows. Accessibility is not optional.
Whistleblower protection for my own staff
Any member of my staff who reports waste, fraud, abuse, or ethical violations within my office will be protected from retaliation. The instinct in Washington is to silence the people who tell the truth. I lived through what that does to a person and a career. Not in my office.
No higher office while serving CA-15
If I am elected to represent CA-15, I will not run for Senate, Governor, or any other higher office during my time in this seat. The job of representing CA-15 is the job. It is not a stepping stone. If I want a different job someday, I will leave this one first.
No lobbying after I leave Congress. Ever.
The revolving door is one of the most corrosive forces in Washington. Members vote to benefit industries that hire them six months after they leave office. I will not become that. After I leave Congress, I will return to civilian work, not a K Street firm.
Pass the torch
Members of Congress should know when to leave. Too many don't. I will not hold this seat until I am too old to properly do the job. While I am here, I will actively mentor and support younger leaders in CA-15 who can take the reins when the time comes. Our community deserves to be represented by the generations who will live longest with the consequences of today's decisions.
This is the deal. If I make it to Congress and break any of these, I am no better than the people I am running against. Politicians earn the trust of voters by following through on what they said they would do. Lose that trust and you should lose your seat.