Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ted Cruz say they'll team up to ban lawmakers from becoming lobbyists after they leave office

• Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday signaled they're up for forming an unlikely duo to co-sponsor legislation that would impose a lifetime ban on lawmakers becoming lobbyists after they leave office. 
• "Let's make a deal," Ocasio-Cortez said in an exchange that took place on Twitter. "If we can agree on a bill with no partisan snuck-in clauses, no poison pills, etc - just a straight, clean ban on members of Congress becoming paid lobbyists - then I'll co-lead the bill with you."
• Cruz told Ocasio-Cortez, "You're on," after the freshman lawmaker proposed they team-up. 
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There's a glimmer of hope for bipartisanship in Washington.  

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday signaled they'd be open to working together on a bill to ban former lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for life. Advertisement

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On Thursday afternoon, the freshman Democrat tweeted, "I don't think it should be legal at ALL to become a corporate lobbyist if you've served in Congress."

Shortly thereafter, the Texas senator responded in a tweet of his own and said he was in rare agreement with the progressive lawmaker. 

Read more: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is going back to bartending for a day to promote a higher minimum wage

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"Here's something I don't say often: on this point, I AGREE with @AOC Indeed, I have long called for a LIFETIME BAN on former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists," Cruz tweeted. "The Swamp would hate it, but perhaps a chance for some bipartisan cooperation?"

Ocasio-Cortez followed up and told Cruz that if he's "serious" about a "clean bill" then she's "down" to team-up. "Let's make a deal," Ocasio-Cortez added. "If we can agree on a bill with no partisan snuck-in clauses, no poison pills, etc - just a straight, clean ban on members of Congress becoming paid lobbyists - then I'll co-lead the bill with you."Advertisement

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Cruz then said, "You're on."

 

Ocasio-Cortez and Cruz could not be more different in terms of their political perspectives and if they follow through to work together on a bill of this nature it would be an astonishing moment of bipartisanship in an era typified by congressional gridlock. Advertisement

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