Follow the Leader: Carl DeMaio Campaigns on Scott Peters’ Ideas

After ducking basic questions for weeks about his Republican party’s shutdown of the government, Carl DeMaio has a few ideas about how Congress should do its job and agree to a budget. Those No Budget, No Pay ideas may look familiar to San Diego voters, because Scott Peters offered them last year and has been living up to them ever since.

“Carl DeMaio refused to show leadership and speak out against the irresponsible shutdown, and now he’s trying to repackage the ideas and work of others for himself,” said Matt Inzeo of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Whether he’s ducking the shutdown or using someone else’s ideas as his own, Carl DeMaio is proving he would rather put on a show than actually do the hard work of solving our challenges.”


BACKGROUND

LEADER: Peters Called for “No Budget, No Pay.” In 2012, Rep. Scott Peters launched a 30-second television ad calling for “No Budget, No Pay” as a way to hold representatives accountable for doing their jobs and passing a federal budget. In the ad, Peters says, “It’s time Congress worked for us. I say – no budget, no pay.  If Congress doesn’t do their job and balance the budget – they don’t get a paycheck.” [ScottPeters.com, 10/20/12]

LEADER: Peters Voted for No Budget, No Pay. In 2013, Rep. Scott Peters voted for HR 325, which adopts a version of “No Budget, No Pay,” an initiative Peters declared his support for prior to being elected to Congress. In addition Peters co-sponsored HR 310, the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would stop Congressional pay if Congress fails to pass a budget on time. [ScottPeters.com, 1/23/13]

- “Rep. Peters ‘Sequesters’ His Own Pay; Donates it to Feed Seniors in Need.”  “Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) applied the across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration to his own paycheck, stating that “any rules Congress imposes on federal employees and all Americans ought to apply to us, too.” He will take eight percent of his monthly salary, which equates to about $1,300 per month, and donate it to the Senior Community Center of San Diego to supplement meals for at-risk seniors.” [San Diego Free Press, 5/08/13]

LEADER: Peters Co-Sponsored the Stop Pay for Members Act. In 2013, Rep. Peters co-sponsored the Stop Pay for Members Act, which would ensure that Members of Congress would not get paid if the U.S. defaulted on its debt. [HR 1884, Cosponsors, 9/27/13]

FOLLOWER: DeMaio Proposed a “No Budget, No Pay” Law. In 2013, DeMaio called for a “No Budget, No Pay law” that would take way pay from every Member of Congress, the President, and Administration political appointees until a budget was passed. [CarlDeMaio.com, 9/30/13]