Requesting Representatives Take the Honor Pledge Not to Lie, Cheat, Steal, or Tolerate Those Who Do
SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y., July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On Friday, Michael Doorley, founder of the “Take the Pledge Campaign” completed his 1,500-mile journey of hand-delivering the Politicians Honor Code Pledge to an office in each of the 26 congressional districts and two senators’ throughout New York State. The journey commenced on July 6 at the office of the Honorable Michael Lawler (NY-17) and concluded at the office of the Honorable Jerrold Nadler (NY-12). Along the way, there were informative conversations with congressional staffers and voters. Follow-up calls commence today.
The pledge, modeled after other pledges and other honor codes or concepts at our federal service academies (e.g., West Point), is a pledge made to constituents that in matters affecting them, “I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do,” as those terms are defined in the pledge. The pledge had previously been sent to the offices of virtually every member of the 117th and 118th Congresses, to the president and vice president and to every declared presidential candidate. For many in N.Y., this was their third request. One pledge was taken and signed — an exceptionally poor return rate for individuals titled “The Honorable.”
Doorley says, “Ask virtually anyone if politicians lie, and after they stop laughing, they often reply, ‘Of course they lie.'” Doorley continues, “We know they lie as defined in the pledge, and they know they lie, and they know we know they lie. We have witnessed these lies becoming more damaging over the years. They are tearing apart our country, communities, and families.” Doorley points out, “Most people are unaware that our representatives and candidates for public office have a First Amendment right to lie to us, and too many of them do. I have never heard a politician say they will not lie to us, nor have I ever heard anyone say to one, do not lie to me.” That is, until now. The Politicians Honor Code is a grassroots effort to start to confront proactively many politicians’ challenges with honesty and ethical behavior— something that is conspicuously missing in our society. I can think of no other organization that would allow this behavior.”
The campaign currently focuses on the executive and legislative branches because they set the “tone at the top” — a term used to describe an organization’s ethical climate. If individuals running an organization are unethical, one might expect their behavior to run through the organization.
Representatives and candidates are concerned about what their constituents want because it has been said that “all politics is local” — especially in an upcoming election cycle. That is why Doorley is hoping that individuals and groups throughout the country will want their elected representatives to be honest and ethical and thus ask their elected representatives and candidates to Take the Pledge. The pledge is downloadable at www.politicianshonorcode.com. Constituents can track their representatives at the website.
Doorley will be available to speak with individuals, groups, and the media about the pledge, campaign, and initiative — and, upon request, to speak with constituents’ representatives on their behalf.
As campaign season heats up, voters should demand that their elected representatives and candidates “Take the Pledge” and publicly commit to truthfulness and ethical behavior. Voters require honesty to make an informed decision as to whom to vote for to represent them, and our country and future generations need it to move forward successfully.
Michael Doorley
914-816-3100
[email protected]
www.politicianshonorcode.com