Never watch politics being made if you want to respect politicians?

[judith_s]

Brent R. Wilkes, the CEO of a company that primarily lives off federal contracts summarizes how it works:

Mr. Wilkes described the appropriations process as little more than a shakedown. He said that lobbyists close to the committee members unceasingly demanded campaign contributions from entrepreneurs like him. Mr. Wilkes and his associates have given more than $706,000 to federal campaigns since 1997, according to public records, and he said he had brought in more as a fund-raiser. Since 2000, Mr. Wilkes’s principal company has received about $100 million in federal contracts.

Mr. Wilkes described the system bluntly: “Lowery would always say, ‘It is a two-part deal,’ ” he recalled. “ ‘Jerry will make the request. Jerry will carry the vote. Jerry will have plenty of time for this. If you don’t want to make the contributions, chair the fund-raising event, you will get left behind.’ ”

How is this not illegal?

Comments

[angelbob.livejournal.com]

For the same reason escort services aren't - it's very hard to prove when all parties are consenting.

And a federal sting operation would first require the establishment of a fake business operating primarily on federal contracts, which would violate a fair number of laws to set up, and couldn't conceivably get more than a couple of lawmakers. For a serious sting, you'd need the cooperation of a large, established business -- who would then lose all chance to participate in the bribery, penalizing it heavily.

[judith-s.livejournal.com]

Remember ABSCAM? When there is the political will, it can be done. Unfortunately there is no will & thus there is no way.

[angelbob.livejournal.com]

The article you link to points out that several of the Abscam convictions were overturned before being later upheld because the FBI was -- almost certainly correctly -- accused of entrapment.

And you're correct, there's no such political will. That requires a really massive outcry by the people, and there is no such outcry, even over larger and more public lawbreaking.