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Posts published in “Day: April 19, 2008”

Regard for Sali

The Mountain Goat Report has put together a succinct rundown of the primary contributors to Idaho Republican Representative Bill Sali (the leading subject of observation by that well-crafted blog).

In looking at a list like this, something of a middling view is required. It isn't a list of buyers of votes; specific quid pro quos (which would amount to bribery) are unusual, and there's reason to suspect that here. On the other hand, PR explanations that these contributions are simply a support of good government are, yes, as ridiculous as they sound. Think of these endorsements instead as a sort of free-floating investment, a loose expectation that the recipient (partly because of the largesse and partly for other reasons) is likely to be amenable more often than not to what the contributor may need.

So the question worth asking is, in this case, what might such contributors as Washington Group International, the American Bankers Association and the National Rifle Association (and smaller contributors as R.J. Reynolds and Halliburton) - all these through their PACs, of course - might be asking of Representative Sali, that maybe a different representative might be less inclined to support. And their other donation recipients.

We'll be spotlighting some more of these contribution lists later. For now, Mountain Goat's makes good review.