Lobbying

Lobbying is the practice of influencing a governing body in order to reflect an organisation's point of view in legislature. Lobbyists in the United states target the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and state legislatures. Lobbying is generally a regulated activity with limits placed on how it is conducted, in an attempt to prevent political corruption.

Most corporations and politial interest groups hire lobbyists to promote their interests. For example ALEC an advocacy organization for the prison industry in the United States actively conducts lobbying in state legislatures advocating the interests of the industry.

Allegations of corruption in lobbying

Lobbying is frequently performed on behalf of organizations which also make campaign contributions[?]. This has led to allegations of corruption by opponents of some lobbying organizations.

These rumours are difficult to refute, because it is easy to prove corruption, but difficult to prove its absence.

Politicians are often placed in apparently compromising positions because of their need to solicit financial contributions for their campaigns. Often, they then appear to be acting in the interests of those parties that fund them, giving rise to talk of political corruption.

Supporters of politicians assert that it is entirely coincidental that many politicians appear to be acting in the interests of those who fund them. Cynics wonder why these organizations fund politicians at all, if they get nothing for their money?

See also

• politics
• political corruption
• soft money
• Henry Adams's novel Democracy (1880)
• Carl Hiaasen's novel Sick Puppy (1999)