While much attention has deservedly been focused on trips and gifts lavished on elected officials by lobbyists, today's Los Angeles Times features a study of an overlooked problem (though it has not been overlooked by this blog): campaign contributions given by or funneled through lobbyists.
The question is a vital one. How much lobbying reform can we expect in either Washington or Jefferson City from politicians, whose campaign warchests rely on the largesse of the same lobbyists they are attempting to regulate?
This is a problem that afflicts both parties. My posts on the subject have primarily been about problems for state Republicans, simply because that is the party that is in power at the moment.
Some examples of this can be found at the following links:
-Missouri lobbyists contribute to Blunt campaign
-National lobbyists pour money into Missouri campaign
-MHA funnels thousands into Blunt campaign chest
-More lobbyists contribute to Nodler
-Globe still missing the boat on Nodler and lobbyists
-Lobbying firm funneling money to Nodler campaign, PAC
Sadly, this is just a sampling of the Turner Report posts on this subject over the past two years.
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