You're looking at a simplistic measure of a single type of elected office. A broad measure isn't very interesting, because freshman house seats aren't very valuable. BIG money is spent to defend the seats of House members with seniority and key committee seats.
The reality is that Federal politicians are bought and paid for in many ways. Spouses, friends and family of congressmen can find themselves possessing an uncanny degree of luck. Spouses become partners in wealthy law firms, etc.
Then you have less shady practices. PACs and special interest groups will happen to run ads in your home district that happen to help you out. Most primaries for the general election happen in September... if you keep the teacher's union happy, lots of teachers will spend their summer vacations supporting your campaign.
The entertainment industry plays all of these cards. They use celebrities to attract people to paid fundraises. They have influence over unions that can bolster attendance at rallies or make lots of phone calls.
"A 26-page FBI affidavit indicates that prior to the 2008 raid, the investigation unearthed information that Sweeney may have received payoffs from Powers & Co., which was founded by Sweeney's longtime friend and mentor, William D. Powers, who was state GOP chairman from 1991 to 2001. The FBI's theory was that Sweeney may have received the undisclosed gifts through the salary, commissions and benefits paid to Sweeney's then-wife, Gaia, who was given a job at Powers' lobbying firm during the height of Sweeney's tenure in Congress.
Gaia "Gayle" Sweeney did little if any work for her income, the FBI said, yet the lobbying firm also paid her commissions from a contract the firm had with Siena College. The college received federal grants facilitated by Sweeney, who became a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee in 2001.
The FBI said Powers told agents that Gayle Sweeney was a full-time employee who did clerical work. But Gayle Sweeney told the FBI she worked part time, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and that she spent most of her time conducting campaign fundraising efforts for her husband."
You're looking at a simplistic measure of a single type of elected office. A broad measure isn't very interesting, because freshman house seats aren't very valuable. BIG money is spent to defend the seats of House members with seniority and key committee seats.
The reality is that Federal politicians are bought and paid for in many ways. Spouses, friends and family of congressmen can find themselves possessing an uncanny degree of luck. Spouses become partners in wealthy law firms, etc.
Then you have less shady practices. PACs and special interest groups will happen to run ads in your home district that happen to help you out. Most primaries for the general election happen in September... if you keep the teacher's union happy, lots of teachers will spend their summer vacations supporting your campaign.
The entertainment industry plays all of these cards. They use celebrities to attract people to paid fundraises. They have influence over unions that can bolster attendance at rallies or make lots of phone calls.