How Plutocrats Think

"Common practice here in D.C. looks an awful lot like plain old corruption everywhere else in the country."

– John Feehery, lobbyist and former
aide to ex-Republican House leader Tom DeLay

For his part, DeLay said his conviction on money laundering charges amounted to the "criminalization of politics," complaining that what prosecutors and ultimately the jury saw as a conspiracy to violate election laws was really just a series of routine money swaps that are common transactions for political parties.

"In this day and age, in order to fully participate and have your First Amendment rights, you have to be able to spend money."

– David Bossie,
president of the conservative group Citizens United

If you spend enough time in a mine shaft, your eyes adjust to the darkness. So it is with political corruption.