No Comment from Congresswomen Fudge on the Stop Act

Congressman David Jolly (R-FL) has introduced bill HR 4443, known as the Stop Act, to legislation to make it illegal for members of Congress to ask for your money.

According to Jolly's petition website, it's recommended that a congressman should spend four hours a day on the phone trying to raise money for their own campaign from citizens in their district. The Stop Act is aimed to discontinue this method of financial gaining.

Another Congressman that has sided with the Stop Act is Steve Israel (D-NY). Israel said in a column he wrote in The New York Times that he spent roughly 4,200 hours in call time and attended more than 1,600 fund-raisers for his campaign alone.

For a more local opinion one the Stop Act, I tried to contact Congresswomen Marcia Fudge (D-OH 11) on her thoughts on the pending bill. According to the Congresswomen's press secretary, Lauren Williams, Fudge declined to comment. "The Congresswomen will not be commenting at this time," Williams said.

Congresswomen Marcia Fudge (D-OH 11)

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I find it absurd that Congress members spend as much as 4 hours a day on the phone trying to get money for their own good.  As a member of Congress, it's your job to help the people you represent. Instead of taking time out of your work day on the phone trying to gain money for campaigns, maybe you could instead use that time to better the communities you serve.    

Drew Jones-Kent State University 

'Your Call is Very Important to Us'

Congressman Robert Latta (R-OH)
District 5

Congressmen are not strangers to call centers. Congressmen spend around 30 hours a week making phone calls to people asking for money. The money goes towards a congressman’s personal campaign. Republicans and democrats have call centers on opposite sides of the street in Washington, D.C.

The key to staying in office: fundraising $18,000 a day. There is a calling script for republicans and democrats to use when they make phone calls. There is a profile of the selected donor along with the calling script.

Republican Congressman David Jolly (F-13) wrote a bill to stop congressmen from calling people. Congressman Jolly called the bill: The Stop Act. This past February, Congressman Jolly introduced the bill to Congress. To date, only eight other members of congress co-sponsored the bill.

Congressman David Jolly on 60 Minutes in "Dialing for Dollars".

Congressman Jolly was interviewed about the bill in a 60 Minutes’ piece called “Dialing for Dollars”. When Congressman Jolly was a newly elected congressman, he told 60 Minutes Reporter Norah O’ Donnell that his first responsibility in Congress was to make $18,000 dollars a day.

A daily schedule for Congress specifically gives congressmen 4 hours to make phone calls for personal fundraising.

On January 19, 2016 a press release from Congressman Jolly’s website shared his opinion of Congress’s work ethic. “We can’t have a part-time Congress in a full-time world,” Jolly said.  

My computer-assisted reporting class contacted Ohio’s Congressional Delegation. Ohio’s Fifth District Congressman Robert Latta’s office has no comment on the issue.

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Thea Emroll

I think it is outrageous to spend 30 hours a week calling people for money. Congressmen should be more concerned with issues in our government than calling to support themselves.  Congressmen can make phone calls about fundraising, but they can’t pick up the phone and answer questions from constituents.

Congress dialing for dollars but won't pick up the phone for questions

With the recent 60 Minute piece on political party members and how the spend hours a day making calls to raise money and now The Stop Act has been created to stop elected members of congress from directly soliciting campaign contribution.

Congressman Gibbs
7th district of Ohio

As a Computer Assisted Reporting class we called Congressman’s press aides or communication directors in Ohio and Pittsburg to ask them four simple questions about the Act.

I was assigned to called Congressman Bob Gibbs of the 7^th district in Ohio.

The Washington Office directed me to the legislative aide Addison Miller because the press aide, Dallas Gerber, was not available at the time. Unfortunately the intern Robert said that Mr. Miller wasn’t available either but if I sent an email he would be able to get back to me.

I sent Addison Miller and email explaining the project as well as an interview request and the four question on April 28^th. I stated in the email to please reply by Monday May 2^nd with either, the answers to the question or to contact me if he wanted to answer them over the phone. I even gave the option to reply with no comment, a simple opposed or with (the Stop Act). I also stated, “If I don’t receive a reply I would unfortunately have to report that Congressman Gibbs has no views on the Act”. It is now May 3^rd and no one from the office of the congressman has returned my email or call.

I went to his website to see if there was any information regarding the act and there was no information about the Congressman and his views on the Stop Act.

I now have to report the Congressman Gibbs of Ohio’s 7^th district has now opinion on the Stop Act.