Earlier today I wrote that Ken Calvert got John Doolittle’s “token corrupt Californian” seat on the House Appropriations Committee.  What I didn’t know is that this has raised the ire… of the right?

I care a lot about the House of Representatives, I care a lot about our members and once someone is ethically challenged and gets in trouble it effects all of us. … I appreciate the high ethical standards that [Boehner] has set … but I believe the bar was lowered today when our conference chose to vote Ken Calvert onto the Appropriations Committee.

That was Ray LaHood of Illinois, going after one of his colleagues in the media.  And it doesn’t stop there.  RedState has declared war on Calvert.  Minority Leader John Boehner is getting a lot of heat from organized phone campaigns.

Wow.  Do they not know that half their delegation is just as corrupt?  (Incidentally, Calvert’s going to be moving up in my next House target list.  Do we have a candidate?)

(It is great to see her targeted, maybe we’ll have an excuse to visit Palm Springs (and better yet, Joshua Tree). – promoted by blogswarm)

Hat tip to dday for this treat for CA-45th Democrats from Robert Salladay at Political Muscle:

Retired generals and veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are targeting California Rep. Mary Bono (R-Palm Springs) as part of a $500,000 media campaign to peel off support for President George W. Bush and the Iraq war.

Ah, VoteVets.org.  I hadn’t noticed that Bono is the only California target – sweet.  So will this convince Mary Bono to unplug herself from the loyal Bushie borg and really support the troops?  Somehow I doubt it.  She didn’t learn much from the last ad

Crossposted to Daily Kos

Just last month, Americans United for Change popped Mary upside the head with their ad, and she immediately issued a fundraising letter, asking for help to fight the liberals’ “nasty early attacks,” and calling the ad a “clear sign that the liberals will do anything, say anything and spend anything to increase their majority next year.”  WATB alert – yes, epiphany – no.

Our local GOP-friendly paper, The Desert Sun puts it this way:

She was the target of another ad last month that Americans United for Change sponsored.  The group, which is working with VoteVets.org, questioned Bono’s support for the war before a recent vote on Iraq War funding.

She voted against the Democrat-sponsored legislation, which would have required Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq by October. Bush vetoed the legislation.

Mary Bono and Barbara Boxer had side by side OpEds in The Desert Sun on April 8th (diary here)  Here’s a sample of her principled rationale for opposing that Iraq funding bill:

The purely political approach to this issue does a disservice to our armed forces serving in harm’s way and to the American people who are tired of politics as usual.

But, it is not just the excessive pork that is contained in this bill that concerns me. It is the message we send to our troops and to our enemies abroad.

While there are many serious issues upon which Americans differ, our brave men and women who protect our national security always have received strong support from the vast majority of our citizens.

Congress has a responsibility to demonstrate the same support for our troops by passing an emergency supplemental funding bill that gives our forces the funds they critically need without the pork.

Our future national security is too important to allow this type of political gamesmanship to continue.

  Well, the latest bill stripped other issues, so what will be her excuse this time?  Norquist will provide, and the GOP fans here will buy whatever they’re hocking as usual.

That’s what makes this VoteVets ad so very interesting, though.  Because if the default-Republican voters in the 45th are ever going to give our side a hearing, it will likely start with nonpartisan emissaries like (Ret.) Major General Batiste.  I thank him for his honorable service, and for the courage to tell an unsavory truth to those who don’t want to hear it. 

Let’s hope it sinks in somewhere.  Clearly, reality still eludes Mary Bono, and will until the GOP leadership gives her the OK to change her tune.  Twas ever thus.

Why should we be going after Gary Miller? Why should we bother with Dana Rohrabacher? Why should we be investing in building Democratic infrastructure in such “hopelessly red places” like South Orange County? Why should we be growing the progressive grassroots in such “strongly Republican towns” as Yorba Linda and Huntington Beach? Why should we even be talking about organizing in such “red counties” as Orange County?

Perhaps we should be organizing in these “red counties” because they are not actually as “hopelessly Republican” as we think they are. Perhaps we should take a second look at these red areas because they are fast turning purple, and have the potential to turn blue. Perhaps we should look at these areas because their populations are growing as the populations of such “safe blue areas” as San Francisco and Los Angeles are stagnating. Perhaps we should do something in these “red areas” because these regions are the key to keeping California blue.

So what can we do? Follow me after the flip for some answers…

(Cross-posted at Ditch Crazy Dana and Trash Dirty Gary)

How about conversing with voters about environmental protection instead of talking down to them about it? Perhaps instead of simply lecturing voters in these regions on why we must protect our environment, talk with them about how environmental protection enhances our quality of life. Talk about preserving all those lovely ocean views, and about how a balanced climate is ultimately good for business. Believe me, people will listen. Huntington Beach has signed onto the US Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. Brea has embraced the principles of “smart growth”. And of course, Laguna Beach has always been a leader on environmental preservation. People here do value their quality of life. They appreciate clean beaches, clean water, pretty parks, and plenty of open space… And so do Democrats. We can make a connection here.

How about talking with voters about government’s duty to protect the public good, and NOT to meddle in people’s private lives? Many so-called “conservatives” in places like Orange County are really libertarian-minded people who just don’t want government making decisions regarding their personal lives. Look at all the places in Orange County where Prop 85 lost. Many people here really are pro-choice, and they don’t appreciate government involving itself in women’s private medical decisions. People here really don’t mind the gay and lesbian couples living in the neighborhood. However, they DO MIND government snooping in people’s sex lives. People here appreciate safe neighborhoods, but they don’t appreciate government searching their homes and businesses without any court warrant. People here want government to focus on such basic matters as keeping the neighborhoods safe, paving the roads, and beautifying the parks. They don’t want government to intrude upon private personal matters. People in these “red counties” value freedom and civil liberties, and so do Democrats. We can make a connection here.

How about talking to voters about how tough it is for small businesses to make it these days? There are many small business owners in “red counties” like Orange County, and there are many things on their minds. These folks are concerned about providing health care for their workers, and they are concerned about their own health care. These folks are concerned about big-box stores like Wal-Mart moving into the community, and they don’t know if they can compete with these big box stores and all their government subsidies. They are wondering how to stay competitive in such a tough business environment. These small business owners are concerned, and so are Democrats.

So why can’t we connect better? Well, we haven’t really tried before. Our state and national parties have never really bothered before to take another look at the “red counties”, and see the purple inside. All too often, many Democratic leaders would rather just ignore places like Orange County while they continue to chase after a narrower and narrower set of “swing voters” in “swing regions”. Well, how about expnading our base for once? How about investing in new areas, like Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County, where there are new opportunities for Democrats. Times are changing, and so are these communities. Let’s start working here, and perhaps we change these corners of the map from red to blue. : )

Oh, my! So are we really in a state of emergency? SCAG says so. Why are we in a state of emergency? Here’s what The OC Register says:

Air pollution accounts for more than 5,400 premature deaths in the region annually, according to the Southern California Association of Governments. On Thursday, the group’s 71-member board voted to urge the emergency declarations as a way of tightening federal and state laws that regulate cars, trucks, ships and trains.

Those sources account for much of Southern California’s smog.

“When we have a hurricane or earthquake, they declare a state of emergency,” said Hasan Ikhrata, SCAG director of planning and policy. “These numbers are out of this world so this is significant enough that they should do the same thing.”

SCAG includes local lawmakers from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial counties.

So the federal government should declare a state of emergency in Southern California because of our pollution? Huh? Follow me after the flip for more on why regional pollution really is raising eyebrows (and asthma levels)…

So why are we in such danger? Take a look at the air quality in my neighborhood in Orange County. We have dangerously high ozone levels. We have dangerously high particle pollution levels. Basically, our air is quite dirty. However, the problem isn’t just in my neighborhood in Orange County. The entire Southern California region has the worst air quality in the nation.

OK, so you don’t believe me? Check this out, and then read this: (From Daily Breeze)

Southern California’s long-maligned air quality keeps getting better, but Los Angeles-area residents are still breathing the most polluted air in the nation, according to a report being released today.

The annual State of the Air report by the American Lung Association found that from 2003 to 2005 the L.A. metropolitan area continued to have the highest levels of ozone and particulate pollution. But over the period residents in the study region, which also included Riverside, suffered from dangerously high pollution levels for fewer days of the year.

“We have a long way to go,” said Bonnie Holmes-Gen, assistant vice president of government relations for the association’s California division. “We have daunting challenges in moving away from fossil fuels, in moving away from petroleum in our state.

“But we have been incredibly aggressive and innovative in improving our emissions.”

Despite such claims, California remains plagued by air pollution. Twenty-six counties got an “F” in air quality — including all of Southern California. Only Salinas made the clean-cities list.

OK, so the quality of our air is getting better… But it’s still horribly awful. So what can we do about it? What can we do that hasn’t already been done to lower air pollution levels in Southern California?

How about taking more cars off the street? How about encouraging more use of mass transit? How about making mass transit more accessible and easier to use in our area? How about building communities where it’s easier to walk to places where we need to go? How about building a more sustainable society? There are many individual actions that we can take, and many actions that we can encourage our local governments to take.

And while we’re at it, shouldn’t the federal government also take some action? The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering changing national air quality standards for ozone solution. Let’s make sure that the EPA strengthens these standards.

After all, we can’t afford to wait as this dirty conundrum quickly becomes a disastrous emergency.

(cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

In 2005, Rep. Gary Miller was the only California Republican on the House panel that shaped the 2005 transportation bill. It would be expected, therefore, that Miller would do everything he could to maximize the amount of money the bill steered to California. But The Hill newspaper is reporting that several of the earmarks he attained benefitted not just his state, but were also quite a boon to his business partner and top campaign donor Lewis Operating Corp.

Join me over the flip for connections between Miller and Lewis Operating and how the company benefitted from the 2005 bill.

So how tight are Miller and Lewis Operating exactly? Well, how much time do you have?

The year before the transportation bill passed, Miller borrowed $7.5 million from Lewis Operating to purchase land from it. Lewis Operating Corp. is also one of Miller’s top campaign contributors; employees of the company have donated $22,150 to Miller’s campaign committee since his election to Congress in 1998.

Miller also has partnered or been involved with a number of real-estate transactions with the company in the past five years, making $1.1 million to $6 million in profits from deals involving Lewis Operating in some part of the transaction, according to the lawmaker’s financial disclosure reports.

In addition, you’ll recall the infamous 2002 Monrovia deal that has piqued the FBI’s interest. Well guess who else was involved.

[Miller] has faced scrutiny for avoiding paying capital gains taxes on the land by telling the IRS that the city had threatened to seize the land through eminent domain, and subsequently reinvesting the profit into land purchased from Lewis Operating.

Now check out the ridiculously long list of ways in which Lewis Operating benefitted from the 2005 transportation bill.

• Miller helped secure several earmarks for the town of Fontana, where he has recently bought land owned by Lewis Operating and sold it to the city’s redevelopment agency. Fontana also is home to one of Lewis Operating’s largest planned communities, Sierra Lakes, encompassing 700 acres that includes 1,850 homes surrounding an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, a 62-acre shopping center and a 20-acre park.

• Sierra Lakes is just over a mile away from the former Rialto Municipal Airport, which Miller helped close through a provision in the same transportation bill, the first time an airport was closed by an act of Congress. Before the provision closed the airport, the city of Rialto – where the airport is located –  already had granted Lewis Operating an exclusive agreement to develop the airport land into Renaissance, a community consisting of 2,500 homes, parks and 80 acres of retail space on the former airport property and adjacent land.

• $6.8 million for Pine Avenue extension from Route 71 to Euclid Ave. in the city of Chino. The extension is less than a mile from the Preserve, a Lewis Operating planned community, and less than two miles from Parkside, another Lewis Operating planned community.

• $1.2 million to establish an Interstate 15 interchange at Nisqualli and Mojave River Crossing in Victorville, Calif. The interchange is about a half a mile from Parkview, a Lewis Operating planned community.

• $400,000 to widen and realign U.S. 395 in the city of Hesperia. Lewis Operating lists The Promontory as one of its planned communities on its website. A city official said the company has not submitted a formal application for the project.

What does Lewis Operating have to say for itself?

In a written statement, Randall Lewis, the executive vice president for Lewis Operating Corp., defended the company’s relationship with Miller and other government officials:  “For three generations, Lewis Group has been committed to acting according to the highest and strictest ethical standards.”

Yeah right. If that were true, you wouldn’t be joined at the hip with Dirty Gary, would ya now?

And as for Miller…

A spokesmen for Miller did not return a call seeking comment.

Gee, shocker.

Miller is feeling the heat and this Hill article just further solidifies the momentum developing against him. As Andrew wrote at Trash Dirty Gary, there was a good amount of buzz about this race down in San Diego. As more reports of Milller’s corruption are brought to light, the more the DCCC is likely to invest in an emerging people-powered candidate to turn this particular red district of CA blue.

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

There seemed to be plenty of buzz about taking down Dirty Gary Miller at the Democratic Convention in San Diego this past weekend. California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres specifically mentioned Miller and the 42nd as one of the party’s targets for 2008. Activists from throughout Southern California seemed energized at the prospect of taking out one of the sleaziest members left in Congress. At this point, even the DCCC is noticing just how vulnerable Gary Miller has made himself. Everything seems to be falling in place for the perfect storm to rock Dirty Gary’s world…

Including a strong candidate to take him on next year? Follow me after the flip for more on what I’ve been hearing about one good candidate who may be ready to knock the socks off of Dirty Gary…

Remember when Art Pedroza dropped this juicy tidbit in his “Chismes” column in Orange Juice about two weeks ago?

Last but not least, I hear that a very successful aerospace engineer is going to run against corrupt Reep Congressman Gary Miller. Talk about ending on a positive note!

Well, apparently there were sightings of this mysterious candidate at the convention over the weekend. And many folks were excited about possibly finding a good candidate to take on the not-so-good Congressman. Oh yes, people are really starting to take notice of what’s happening in the 42nd. And I guess now that this successful aerospace engineer from Orange County might be stepping in to take on Gary Miller, this race might finally be taken seriously.

Let’s face it: Dirty Gary doesn’t serve us anymore. He’s just serving himself at our expense. He’s using and abusing his position to enrich himself, and that doesn’t help us when we need someone who will work for practical solutions to end this failed war in Iraq, balance the federal budget, fix our traffic woes on our freeways, and protect the open space that makes living in the 42nd so darn enjoyable. We’re just thirsting for real change, and perhaps this “mystery candidate” might be the right person to serve us in Congress.

I guess before I jump to conclusions about this “mystery candidate”, there are some things that I need to know. Will this person reach out and work with local community activists to fight for what’s best for our neighborhoods? Will this person have what it takes to fight back against Dirty Gary and his very loaded campaign war chest? Will this person be able to truly connect with ALL THE VOTERS in the district, from La Habra Heights to Chino Hills to Rancho Santa Margarita? And finally, will this “mystery candidate” truly work for us, and not just a few special interests?

If this “mystery candidate” can answer these questions to our satisfaction, then maybe we should pay more attention to this individual. : )

(Howie rocks, he has a heart almost as big as his mind. Please spread the word on this. – promoted by blogswarm)

Howie Klein, of Down With Tyranny and Blue America,  will speak to Democrats of the Desert about the netroots here in Palm Springs on May 16th.  This is such a gift to us, the latest of many.  Thank you, Howie!

Like most Dem clubs, our membership is largely senior, and many of our members don’t drive at night.  Imagine the manpower they’d represent if they spent those evenings in the blogosphere.  I’m also hoping to appeal to the younger set, who already spend excessive time online, but don’t yet get involved in politics.  They really need to see what Howie’s doing. 

So much more after the jump:

I first discovered DownWithTyranny while googling for mentions of Mary Bono, and soon found this: Nobody Knows the Trouble I’m In, complete with excellent photoshopping of Bono as a rubberstamp.  David Roth found a trusted and valued ally in Howie Klein.  Here’s the Blue America profile of David Roth.  Here’s the Team Roth staff profile on TRex’s Virtual USO Tour which got picked up by Hotline, btw.

Blue America gave David Roth the Have You Had Enough? video, a fundraising link on the BlueAmerica page, a slot in the BlueAmericaVirtual Tour, and raised over 6 grand for Roth online.  Even so, many active Democrats here still don’t realize the scope of the netroots role.  I know you’re wondering- Is Roth running again?  Well, we don’t yet know if Roth is running again, but Democrats here in red, red Riverside County need this information for 2008 no matter what.

Event details are posted at the Calitics events calendar.  If you’re in California, you’ll find it extremely helpful.  Naturally, the local media got a presser as well:

Democrats of the Desert will welcome Howie Klein of Blue America on Wednesday, May 16th from 5:30pm to 8pm.  Howie will address the current state of national politics and the 2008 races from his perspective as a netroots activist.

Who  After completing university Howie Klein spent 7 years wandering around the world and living in places like Afghanistan, Nepal, Holland and Morocco.  He moved back to America when Richard Nixon resigned and promptly helped start the first punk rock radio show in the country and then a DIY punk rock record label.  His adventures in the music business ended a couple of years ago when he retired as president of Reprise Records.  He began blogging almost immediately, starting Down With Tyranny.

What  Blue America works actively in congressional districts and states (in Senate races), collecting money and placing radio and TV spots, like the “Have You Had Enough?” video.  Blue America is an online collaboration of Firedoglake, Down With Tyranny, and Crooks and Liars. In the last 4 months of 2006 they raised $545,000 online for progressive Democrats and helped elect Jerry McNerney (CA), Jon Tester (MT), Joe Sestak (PA), Ben Cardin (MD), John Hall (NY), Mike Arcuri (NY), Chris Carney (PA), Bruce Braley (IA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Patrick Murphy (PA), Paul Hodes (NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), and Jim Webb (VA).

When Wednesday, May 16th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm

Where The Cathedral City Senior Center
  68-727 East Palm Canyon Dr., Cathedral City (across from Starbucks)
  $10 suggested donation, easy parking, refreshments

Contact: Beth Caskie, VP Programs for Democrats of the Desert
  at [email protected] for more information.

Democrats of the Desert is the largest and oldest Democratic Club in the Coachella Valley, chartered by the State Democratic Party of California.  Its mission is to advance Democratic values and to elect Democratic candidates at all levels of government. Democrats of the Desert has active programs of speakers, publications, political action, fundraising, and outreach.  Membership is open to all registered Democrats.

Here’s a photo of the Roth team from last year:

I know I’m not the only one grateful for the chance to thank Howie in person.  If you live in driving range of Palm Springs, you should come.  There’s an outside chance we’ll experiment with some video live-blogging. 

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Southern California’s resource for revealing Gary Miller’s true record of disservice to his constituents… AND a place for action in restoring honor and integrity to the 42nd Congressional District.)

“It’s beyond my comprehension why he’s running again… I’ve been hoping that Jay would take the moral high ground and move on with his life.”

So who said that about Jay Kim, the Republican Congressman who sought reelection in 1998 after being convicted of violating campaign finance law? Oh, only some guy named GARY MILLER who was running against Kim in the Republican primary. Yes, apparently back then Gary Miller was interested in taking “the moral high ground”. Back then, Gary Miller wanted to rid the Republicans of a “poster boy” of corruption that Democrats could use against the party.

OK, why am I sensing “deja-vu” here? Do you sense that, too? Well, why don’t we both go after the flip to get our questions answered…

So why exactly did Jay Kim get into all that trouble? From the CNN archives:

Kim, a three-term California Republican, was sentenced to one year of probation and two months of “home detention” after pleading guilty in August 1997 to 10 misdemeanor counts of accepting about $250,000 in illegal campaign contributions during his first campaign for the House in 1992. […]

Federal prosecutors had asked the judge to impose a jail sentence, contending that Kim’s case “represents the largest amount of criminal campaign violations ever committed by a member of Congress.” But Kim, the first Korean-American in Congress, asked for leniency, saying that, “In my enthusiasm of running for Congress, I neglected the very important mechanics of my campaign finances and broke the law.”

Kim has refused to resign and remains undeterred in seeking a fourth term. His spokesman said March 10 that the congressman considers the sentence passed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Paez to be no bar to his continued service and no hindrance to his re-election campaign.

Now who does this sound like? Why does this nasty situation sound eerily familiar? Come on now, it’s not too hard to remember this gem from The San Bernardino Sun:

Of all the company’s political connections, its relationship with Miller – who declined to be interviewed for this story – has come under particular scrutiny over the past year.

The relationship dates back more than 30 years, to when Miller was a young developer. In recent years, he and Lewis have connected on a number of business deals:

The company entered into a business partnership with Miller in July 2004, with the congressman investing between $1million and $5million in a Lewis-owned, 70-acre housing and retail development in Diamond Bar that had just been approved by the City Council.

That same year, Lewis officials sold Miller several parcels in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, allowing him to shield millions in profits from an earlier land sale from potential capital-gains taxes. The company loaned him $7.5million for the sale.

Meanwhile, the company’s top executives have donated $22,150 to the congressman’s campaigns since 1999. (In that time, Miller has received a total of more than $2.3 million in contributions from individuals and political committees.)

Oh yeah, that’s why. Look who’s the “poster boy” of Republican corruption now. Look who’s lost the “moral high ground” now… Oh wait, did this guy ever have the moral high ground?!

Maybe Gary Miller needs to remember his own advice… And take it! It’s beyond all our comprehension why he’s running again. And yes, we’ve all been hoping that Gary would take the moral high ground and move on with his life. And perhaps Gary should talk with dday about some great ideas for Gary to move on with his life. ; )

( – promoted by atdleft)

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Southern California’s resource for revealing Gary Miller’s true record of disservice to his constituents… AND a place for action in restoring honor and integrity to the 42nd Congressional District.)

What is it about Gary Miller doing all these troublesome land deals? The San Bernardino Sun has now unearthed yet another troublesome deal involving land, money, and sweet favors:

The Lewis Group of Companies has built thousands of homes and dozens of shopping centers, office buildings and industrial parks from the San Gabriel Valley to the High Desert.

But the Upland-based company has helped shape more than the region’s physical landscape: It’s emerged as both a major philanthropic force and a significant political player as well.

Over the years, Lewis has given millions to charitable causes and – in the past six years alone – nearly $2.3 million to political campaigns.

In recent months, it’s the politics that have made headlines, focusing on the company’s long and close relationship with Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, who also represents Diamond Bar, Chino and Chino Hills.

Oh, great! Here we go again! Developers are buying off Gary Miller, so what else is new? Well, get a load of what I’m about to tell you after the flip…

Again, The San Bernardino Sun:

Of all the company’s political connections, its relationship with Miller – who declined to be interviewed for this story – has come under particular scrutiny over the past year.

The relationship dates back more than 30 years, to when Miller was a young developer. In recent years, he and Lewis have connected on a number of business deals:

The company entered into a business partnership with Miller in July 2004, with the congressman investing between $1 million and $5 million in a Lewis-owned, 70-acre housing and retail development in Diamond Bar that had just been approved by the City Council.

That same year, Lewis officials sold Miller several parcels in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, allowing him to shield millions in profits from an earlier land sale from potential capital-gains taxes. The company loaned him $7.5 million for the sale.

Meanwhile, the company’s top executives have donated $22,150 to the congressman’s campaigns since 1999. (In that time, Miller has received a total of more than $2.3 million in contributions from individuals and political committees.)

Wow! It looks like Lewis did Gary Miller quite a few huge favors. So why did they do these favors for Miller? Why would Lewis loan Gary Miller money to buy Lewis land, all so that Miller could avoid paying capital-gains taxes?

Oh, wait! I see the reason now. Gary Miller soon returned the favor.

In August 2005, Miller secured $1.2 million in federal funding for improvements to Grand Avenue, a major artery through Diamond Bar that passes in front of the development he co-owned with Lewis. Miller sold his stake in the development in October 2005.

In the same legislation, he secured $6.8 million to help extend Pine Avenue to Highway 71 in Chino. City leaders touted the project as an important transportation link to The Preserve, a major Lewis master-planned community.

Miller also pushed for a provision to close Rialto Municipal Airport, which cleared the way for the Lewis Group to purchase the site. It has plans with a business partner, Hillwood Development Corp., to develop Rialto Renaissance, a planned community of housing, shopping and recreation.

Doesn’t this just get sickening? I mean, the more I get to know Miller, the more I see why he’s been named as one of the twenty most corrupt members of Congress. He’s not in Congress to serve us the voters and us the taxpayers. He’s there to engage in a type of legislative racketeering operation, and he’s only there to line his own pockets at our expense.

Now yes, a member of Congress is supposed to work to bring home funds for one’s own district. Yes, a member of Congress is supposed to fight for the best interest of one’s constituents. However, neither of these is what Gary Miller is doing. No, he’s only (mis)using his position of power to enrich himself on the taxpayer’s dime. He’s selling his votes to the highest bidder. And this helps no one in the district save for a certain Gary Miller.