Democrat Phil Steck called on all campaigns for the 21st congressional district to return all donations to federal and state lobbyists and all Political Action Committees (PACs), following the lead of Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
“Whether it’s Albany or Washington, the system is broken because lobbyists and special interests have a stranglehold on our government,” said Steck. “On the national level, Barack Obama has put the issue of the influence of lobbyists at the forefront. Lobbyists are writing our energy policies. Lobbyists are holding up a national healthcare policy. The same holds true for Albany.”
Steck said that because the Capital Region is the state capitol, people in the 21st congressional district are aware of the tremendous power that lobbyists wield in state government and in regional politics. “We need a representative in Washington who is not beholden to these powerful special interests,” added Steck. “The people should be represented by someone who will put their interests first, and who won’t let lobbyists drown out their voices.”
Steck said that recent news reports in Washington, and in Albany, have highlighted the corrupting influence of lobbyists and interests. “While there certainly are lobbyists who champion progressive causes, we need to revamp the whole system because our government is broken,” said Steck. “Too much money is changing hands behind the scenes in and around government for special favors, increased access, or to kill a piece of legislation.”
Steck’s campaign has raised over $320,000 and he said that his campaign has been funded primarily by individuals (over 95%) and that over 80% of that money is from the Capital Region.
