Lessig to Consider Congressional Run
Lessig to Consider Congressional Run
Lessig to Consider Congressional Run

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    After weeks of speculation, PK Advisory Board member Larry Lessig announced today that he is considering running for the Congressional seat of the late Rep. Tom Lantos, who represented California's 12th District. Over the past few weeks, a Draft Lessig Change Congress website and a Facebook group along the same lines have sprouted up.

    As many of the readers of this blog already know, Lessig has stepped back from the free culture movement to focus on reducing the influence of money in Congress. Along with the announcement that he will consider running, he also announced the launch of his Change Congress movement, which will seek to convince members of Congress to take a pledge to 1) take no money from lobbyists or political action committees; 2) forgo earmarks in appropriations legislation; and 3) support public financing of campaigns.

    Lessig acknowledges that his road to Congress will be a challenge from the start. A veteran legislator, Jackie Speier, has already announced her intention to run for Lantos' seat. But with Barack Obama's ascension and net neutrality supporter Donna Edwards' recent landslide primary victory over Bell pal and 8-term Congressman Albert Wynn in Maryland, no outcome is certain. Lessig will make his decision by March 1.