The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that the president of the Kentucky State Senate, David Williams, held a luncheon with 80 attendees, with about half of them lobbyists. At this luncheon, he encouraged the lobbyists to raise money--with a goal of up to $50,000 per person--to elect Republicans to the State Senate:
... the lobbyists and others were invited to sign a `commitment form' pledging to raise or give one of four amounts--$5,000, $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000--to the Republican Party of Kentucky Senate Trust or the Senate Republican Caucus Committee.
None of this would be a problem, really, if it weren't such an attempt to skirt the law. As the article notes, lobbyists cannot give to a candidate's campaign or the Senate Republican Caucus Committee, but they can give to the Senate Trust, and their clients can give to the Trust as well as the Caucus Committee, who in turn fund candidates--thus, the law is bypassed through a process that bears more than a passing similarity to money laundering.
While some might ask why this is such a problem, it is endemic to the power of special interests, propelled by the lobbying industry, which gives those with more money--for example, large businesses and wealthy donors--far more access to legislators and the political process than the majority of Kentucky citizens will ever have under this system. When tens of thousands of dollars are raised by lobbyists from their clients to fund campaigns during election season, you can bet when its time to write laws, these "favors" won't be forgotten.
The Courier-Journal writes that Williams "asked lobbyists only to inform their clients of the opportunity to give and not actually solicit contributions." Remember that the next time a telemarketer calls to inform you of a special opportunity.
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