Davis is rejecting corporate PAC and lobbyist money
Rep. Roy has taken over $100,000 from corporate PACs and lobbyists
Washington, DC –– End Citizens United (ECU) today endorsed Wendy Davis for Congress in Texas’ 21st congressional district. A committed advocate and public servant, Davis is building a grassroots-powered campaign by rejecting money from corporate PACs and federally-registered lobbyists. Davis’ opponent, Rep. Chip Roy, a career Washington insider who has taken over $100,000 from corporate PACs and lobbyists, previously ran a super PAC for Sen. Ted Cruz.
“By rejecting corporate PAC and lobbyist money, Wendy Davis is showing voters that she will hold corporate special interests accountable and give Texans a voice in Congress,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Wendy is a dedicated public servant who has spent her career fighting for Texans’ healthcare and access to quality education. Her opponent, Rep. Chip Roy, is a perfect example of a career insider who does the bidding of his corporate special interest donors at his constituents expense. End Citizens United is proud to endorse Wendy Davis, and we look forward to helping her win in 2020.”
“I’ve spent my entire career fighting for Texans, but Chip Roy can’t say the same,” said Wendy Davis. “While I’ve fought against $5.4 billion in cuts to our public schools and stood for 13 hours on the Texas Senate floor to fight for Texas women’s healthcare, Chip Roy has been schmoozing with mega-donors in Washington to support Ted Cruz’s super PAC and his own run for Congress. It’s an honor to have End Citizens United’s support, and I look forward to working with them to unrigging the system in Washington and giving voice to Texans in Congress.”
For too long, Washington politicians have allowed special interest lobbyists and their corporate PACs to control Congress. Davis’ refusal to take corporate PAC and lobbyist money highlights her leadership and commitment to ending the stranglehold corporate special interests have over Washington politicians, like Rep. Chip Roy. The pharmaceutical industry alone hired 1,440 lobbyists in 2018 – three for every member of Congress in U.S. House. The prescription drug industry spent $3.7 billion on lobbying from 1998-2018, which is $1 billion more than any other industry. The GOP tax bill, which Rep. Roy vehemently supported, gave $76 billion in tax cuts to the 10 biggest drug companies.
During the 2018 election cycle, ECU spearheaded the movement among candidates to forgo corporate PAC money in their campaigns. In the 116th Congress, 60 members are refusing to take corporate PAC money, which includes 27 members of the House freshman class who flipped their district.
ECU is dedicated to getting Big Money out of politics and fixing the rigged system in Washington so government works for all Americans. The reform group has four million members nationwide, including 6,000 in Texas’ 21st Congressional District, and is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.
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