Accountability: Who Else Will Go the Way of Congressman Bobby Rush?

[Commentary] No member of Congress is beyond reproach. Every member of Congress should be open scrutiny of their record, and every member should be judged by his or her record. It's critical to an effective democracy. Last week, Congressman Bobby Rush's record of carrying water for big telecom corporations — at the expense of the communities he represents — came back to haunt him when he lost his bid to become Ranking Member of the subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. Rep. Rush had been almost certain to get the position until more than 16,000 ColorOfChange.org members opposed his candidacy because of his record of advocating against net neutrality. Now, Congressman Rush is trying to change the subject. But it won't work — not now, at a time when a politician's statements and voting record are readily available for the public to see and evaluate.

[Rucker is executive director of ColorOfChange.org]