by Ted Sherman

Created on: July 01, 2007   Last Updated: March 19, 2008

Of course they do. If they didn't, there wouldn't be any campaign contributions in the first place, especially from the heavy interests in business, defense industry and others who regularly buy Congressional votes. Not all politicians in office are on the take, but too frequently the news exposes a glaring example.

The most recent features suspected bribery taker Congressman William Jefferson (D., La.) trying to explain the $90,000 found in his freezer. This may be shameful, but certainly not surprising. Throughout history, there have been an old-boys' network operating among Washington lobbyists and legislators. Members of the House of Representatives must run for re-election every two years; Senators every six years.

Today a Presidential candidate must raise many millions for a campaign, and it takes at least from $250,000 to several million to finance a Congressional campaign. Does anyone really believe that all campaign gift money comes from selfless patriots whose only altruistic motive is to bring competent, honest government to Washington?

As for Jefferson, where is a poor young attorney from Louisiana going to get enough campaign money every 24 short months to fight to stay in office? There are laws in place now that limit the amount of money any individual can contribute to a political campaign, but those rules apply only to money contributed legally. They don't cover gifts of cold cash that get secretly deposited in a freezer.

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