Because Bernie 'Constitutionally Incapable of Sucking Up,' Anti-Corruption Champion Zephyr Teachout Endorses Sanders

Legal scholar and political activist Zephyr Teachout, who literally wrote the text book on government and corporate corruption, endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president on Friday as she applauded him for building "the kind of movement that we need to fight the corruption that is killing us."

In her endorsement, Teachout said Sanders has emerged as the most trustworthy candidate when it comes to honesty, integrity, and having the fortitude to stand up to powerful interests.

"Bottom line: Bernie Sanders is constitutionally incapable of sucking up, and that's why people love him," Teachout said. "They know he'll always be on the side of the little guy against big agriculture, big banks, big pharma, big tech, hate, and fear."

In her statement, credited Sanders for the "extraordinary multi-class, multi-race movement grounded in community and compassion" he and his team have built over recent year. Sanders, said Teachout, is "showing us that together, we can beat back the corruption of billionaires, beat the reckless profiteering of corporations, and beat Donald Trump."

As part of the endorsement, Teachout and the Sanders campaign released a video in which she highlighted the importance of the grassroots campaign he is running and the movement he has helped build. Watch:

Teachout, who ran for governor of New York in 2014 and teaches law at Fordham University, remains a key progressive voice in the U.S. when it comes to government corruption and corporate influence. As the Sanders campaign noted in its statement:

Teachout's book, Corruption in America, is generally recognized as essential reading in corruption scholarship and a major contribution to understanding the history of corruption law. Her work was cited in the House Judiciary Impeachment Report, as well as by Justice Stevens in his dissent in Citizens United. She was one of the countries' few experts on Emoluments prior to the Trump Presidency, and wrote the first New York Times article raising questions about Trump's pending constitutional violations. She is currently a plaintiff in an ongoing lawsuit attempting to overturn Citizens United.

For a series of "End Corporate Greed" rallies and events scheduled for New Hampshire over the weekend, Teachout will join Sanders and others to focus on corruption, getting big money out of politics, and how to fight back against the sinister revolving-door agenda of the Trump era.

"Zephyr has dedicated her life to stamping out corruption in our country," said Sanders. "She has directly taken on the greed of Donald Trump and fought tirelessly for a political system that rejects the influence of big money and special interests. I am honored to receive her endorsement and look forward to working together to defeat Trump and create an economy and a political system that finally works for everyone."