Friend,

It's the week before one of the sweetest holidays of the year -- Valentine's Day.

When we think of February 14th, we think chocolate, flowers, and jewelry. What we probably think less about is that even those decadent treats have vast lobbying arms behind them.

Take chocolate for example: Hershey spent more than $450,000 to lobby Congress in 2019, for things like laxer laws on sugar and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Nestle spent more than $1.2 million in lobbying to do much of the same. The Society of American Florists gave more than $60,000 to federal candidates this cycle, and the Jewelers of America PAC gave $38,000 to federal candidates.

It's not that I don't support some of the policies for which they advocate, it's that I don't believe money should buy access to members of Congress -- or their
votes.

That's why we're sending a Valentine's Day card to Congress to ask my colleagues to join me in refusing to accept lobbyist and PAC money: If you're with me, sign the card to stop Congress from being sweet on special interest cash. [link removed]

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This lobbying has real consequences. Here's just one more example: Nestle spends huge sums of money to pressure leaders in Michigan to siphon off groundwater, turning it into cheap Ice Mountain bottled water.

If that's how much just Valentine's Day-associated industries spend to lobby Congress, think about every other industry. Congress works for the people of this country, not the corporations -- and I think Valentine's Day is as good a day as any to remind them of that. I don't take a dime of PAC or lobbying money because even a dime is too much -- and we're looking at millions of dollars in lobbying just on candy, flowers, and jewelry.

I hope you have a sweet Valentine's Day. And the day is slightly less sweet for corporate lobbyists. If you're with me, sign our card. [link removed]

Thank you,

Dean Phillips

SIGN THE CARD » [link removed]  



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