When money is speech, bribery is just eloquence

[SilverFang01]

Mulvaney, Watchdog Bureau’s Leader, Advises Bankers on Ways to Curtail Agency

“For the reasons explained above, we now conclude that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.” — Justice Anthony Kennedy, Citizens United v. FEC.

How he could say that with a straight face eludes me.

[hazard]

and revealed that, as a congressman, he would meet only with lobbyists if they had contributed to his campaign.

Huh, strictly speaking that's possible grounds for a bribery charge. Because bribery of a public official can be 'anything of value', apparently.

[robkelk]

Oh, hey - something I can understand about US politics!

Wrap your head around this bit of Canadiana: In 2013, Nigel Wright (at the time, Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office) wrote a personal check to pay ~$90k of expenses claimed by Mike Duffy (at the time, a Senator). Duffy was charged with taking a bribe and was later acquitted. Wright was not charged with offering a bribe. Wikipedia has details.

Given that, what you've got going here is eminently understandable.

[Black Aeronaut]

Said it once and I'll say it again. If corporations keep pushing their agenda, they're eventually gonna find themselves in the same shoes as the French Aristocracy during the French Revolution.

Some people think this is a good thing. I don't. Know why? Because immediately after the Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte happened. Bets that the same thing won't happen here?