Members of Congress are a lot like people

Members of Congress are a lot like people. They make mistakes and do stupid things like the rest of us. The one difference: their mistakes are much more likely to make the news. 

That’s what I thought on election night when I saw the two word statement released by Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia: “Lawyer up.” While it had become clear that Democrats would control the House, the polls were still open, the night was young, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries had not yet made a public statement. Garcia’s words carry weight because, in his words, he is the “Incoming Oversight Chairman” of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 

What bothered me about Garcia’s statement is it made no mention of what drove the election: too many necessities are too expensive for too many Americans. While I wished he had waited for Jeffries to set the tone for the election victory and the new Congress, I chalked it up to Garcia’s election night elation. And I know that many Americans thought “Lawyer up” was just fine.

The day after the election, I received a fund-raising text from “Incoming House Oversight Chairman Robert Garcia” requesting a donation. After a brief list of the items that would be investigated by the Oversight Committee, the text said the following:

Victor, if finding out answers is worth even just $1 to you, I humbly ask that you chip in now. Your donation this very minute will help us assemble the resources and manpower it will take to shine a light into every single dark corner of this presidency’s corruption and grift.

Included was a link to Act Blue and Garcia’s campaign. 

Here are my problems with this text message. Garcia is not yet the Incoming Chairman. All the committee assignments and chairmanships will be determined in the new Congress, and there are a ton of new members who will have some say. Garcia has a safe seat. He won with 60% of the vote; there is no reason for him to be fundraising now. 

Funds raised for his campaign committee, with limited exceptions, cannot be used for official congressional business, which is what committee work is. Committee budgets determine “resources and manpower,” not campaign funds. It feels like an effort to get enthusiastic Democrats to donate to a campaign fund thinking they are helping the work of Congress. 

Members of Congress make mistakes, and they can quickly become public. But mistakes can just as quickly be remedied with a public statement: “There is a simple explanation for what happened. I was an idiot.” 

All of us sometimes do dumb things. We voters know we vote for people like us. Correct the mistake and move on, or explain why and how a campaign fund can be used for official committee work in the House of Representatives. 

And there is also this: members of Congress are a lot like people. People can be remarkable, and the newly elected members seem to be the best of us. Different talents, vocations, backgrounds, beliefs and religions. What a great opportunity for America! These new members deserve senior members to be strictly compliant with the rules.