Federal officials are investigating the roles of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson in pay for play exchanges.
(AP/ABC News)
A cynic might say that's just how politics works: You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Of course, that's not how it's supposed to work. Elected officials are sworn to represent their entire constituencies, not just the rich folk who pony up cash.
"If you're a lobbyist and you're giving $100,000 and you're getting millions of dollars in return in an earmark, it's a really good bargain," Buzenberg said.
The vast majority of political contributions are perfectly legal. To be illegal, the courts insist prosecutors be able to prove the quid pro quo, and that can be extremely difficult.
Corruption is bipartisan. Both parties have a rogues gallery of members accused or convicted.
"In recent years, we've seen an explosion of corruption cases on both sides of the aisle, involving Republicans like Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham, Congressman Ney, as well as Democrats like Gov. Blagojevich, allegations against Congressman William Jefferson and now allegations against Gov. Bill Richardson," said Lichtman. "Corruption seems to know no ideology, no limits of party, no limits of geography."
In the 1939 film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," Jimmy Stewart played an idealistic young senator appointed by a corrupt party boss.
Sound familiar?
Roland Burris, Blagojevich's choice to replace Obama, is determined to come to Washington, despite the controversy surrounding his appointment to Obama's former Senate seat.
Burris, former Illinois attorney general, is a well-respected public servant, but the Senate has refused to seat him because he was appointed by Blagojevich.
In America, there is no disputing: Money talks. But campaign contributions are also a protected form of free speech.
"The line between illegal bribery and legal campaign contributions with an expected return is a very thin and gray one," Lichtman said. "If we were to prosecute every time everyone steered a contract to a campaign contributor, we'd be prosecuting virtually every politician in this country."
Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.
