Personalize your testimony.

I followed my own advice yesterday when I was asked about the bill I’m introducing to require shareholder approval before a corporation can make independent campaign expenditures supporting or targeting a candidate.

“When I ran for reelection in 1986, the landlords tried to defeat me because I had introduced legislation requiring them to lower the risk of lead poisoning in their properties,” I told the listeners on Shalom USA radio. “Under the recent Supreme Court ruling, there is no limit on the amount of money they can spend to oppose a person like me.”

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We had finalized the changes to the bill draft.

“Should I try to get co-sponsors?” one of the advocates asked.

“For just one day,” I replied. “It’s more important to get the bill introduced and an early hearing date than to get more signatures.”

“Should we tell the people who’ve already signed on about the changes?” said another supporter.

“Don’t worry. They didn’t read the bill the first time,” I answered.