Power and Money
Among the people who received these coveted tickets were two of the single biggest contributors to Republicans and their causes.
Alex Spanos and his wife, Faye, have together contributed approximately $5.78 million, according to a review of election records by ABC News. Spanos is a major California real estate developer who needs government approval for his big projects.
"We can't give enough," Alex Spanos said. "We just give as much as we can."
Roland Arnall, along with his wife, Dawn, have together donated approximately $6.1 million, according to a review of election records by ABC News. The owner of a financial company that has fought legislation tightening controls on loans to low-income customers, Arnall declined to answer questions about why he contributed so much money.
The Arnalls and other wealthy Americans, Republican and Democrat, have been able to easily get around new campaign reform laws, steering their money through supposedly independent groups.
"It's totally out of control," Lewis said. "This is power and money together in a very obscene way."
ABC News' David Scott, Vic Walter, Jill Rackmill, Maddy Sauer, Simon Surowicz, and Jessica Wang contributed to this report.
