PA FREEDOM CAUCUS TO PA GOP: “CHANGE RULES NOW TO BAN REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS FROM TAKING TEACHERS UNION CASH”
Harrisburg, PA- Following a disastrous budget which saw the will of the Pennsylvania Senate, the Governor, and the citizens of Pennsylvania they represent upended, the Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus is calling on their Republican colleagues to put children and their communities first by implementing a new rule preventing campaign contributions from Teachers' Unions such as the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).
The outright refusal by those in the General Assembly to rescue the students of this Commonwealth through educational directives such as the Lifeline (PASS) Scholarship Program have made it increasingly evident that we must lead by example instead of allowing life-changing opportunities to be taken away from our low-income students who are trapped in failing government schools as a direct result of PSEA campaign donations.
The PA Freedom Caucus calls on the Republican Party of Pennsylvania to implement this proposed change and help those who seek public office on the Republican ticket be accountable to their communities, constituents, and their children through the elimination of special interest money and the failed policies that money represents.
PROPOSED STANDING RULE CHANGE:
NEA/IEA Contributions: National Education Association (NEA)/Pennsylvania State Educational Association (PSEA) Contributions: The Pennsylvania Republican Party shall not accept money, in-kind contributions, or anything of value, directly or indirectly, from the National Education Association (NEA) or any of the NEA’s state affiliates, including the Pennsylvania State Educational Association (AEA), or the Political Action Committee for Education (PACE), or any of the NEA’s state affiliates or their related organizations.
Candidates for the Pennsylvania General Assembly shall be prohibited from accepting direct or in-kind contributions from the NEA, IEA, and all affiliated organizations.
Any Republican office holder or candidate for the above-listed offices that solicits a direct contribution or an in-kind contribution, or coordinates with the NEA, PSEA, PACE, or an affiliated organization shall be disassociated from the Republican Party if an elected official.
Any unsolicited cash contributions received by candidates for the above-listed offices may avoid the consequences of this standing rule by returning the contribution within 7 days.
All contributions received by Republican candidates before the adoption of this requirement shall be exempt from consideration.
What about dark money. Why is it dark? What about pharmaceutical companies, energy companies, foreign companies, foreign states, etc.
On another topic, why does the RNC only allow incumbents to use "their" lobbyists and adv. companies when gifts or support is given to said incumbent? This allows the RNC soul control?
These are ethical standards that should apply to all legislators. I understand that you're a Republican group, but why not open it to other like-minded people, as a bipartisan group? Is that possible?