Lawrence Lessig on the Difference Between Him and Bernie Sanders

Lawrence Lessig, the Harvard law professor and political activist, announced Tuesday that he is exploring a bid for Democratic presidential nomination. He says the aim of his candidacy is to secure passage of the Citizen Equality Act of 2017, a proposal that would put in place new methods to ensure equal freedom to vote, equal representation, and citizen-funded elections. His political campaign is, in a sense, a fulfillment of Lessig’s work to overhaul campaign-finance laws. He is vowing, if elected, to serve as a “referendum president,” then cede the White House to his vice president; he would stay in office only as long as it takes to enact his agenda. In an interview conducted Monday afternoon by phone, Lessig spoke about big money, the difference between him and would-be primary rival Bernie Sanders, and the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Bloomberg Politics: First thing’s first. Why are you running for president?