Lucas,
Well, here's something you don't see every day — a note from former "super lobbyist" Jack Abramoff about Public Citizen's work to save democracy:
You probably never expected to hear from me on behalf of Public Citizen. In my former career, I opposed just about everything Public Citizen stands for. But last year, when Robert Weissman invited me to speak at Public Citizen's headquarters in Washington, D.C., it was a profound experience.
As I told Robert, "I was involved deeply in a system of bribery — legalized bribery for the most part" that "still to a large part exists today." Perhaps more than anybody, I truly understand the depths of K Street's corrupting influence on Capitol Hill.
I can't undo the mistakes I made. But I can say this: If you want to do something about how the lobbying industry uses legalized bribery and other ways that money corrupts democracy, I encourage you to support the efforts of Public Citizen.
Jack Abramoff is with us. Are you?
Make a donation to Public Citizen.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Robert Weissman
President, Public Citizen
P.S. This coming Monday is the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, which severely compounded the threat of corporate money in politics that Jack Abramoff is talking about.
What better way to mark this inauspicious anniversary than to chip in whatever you can to help undo the court's grave mistake?