Microsoft, like every other company, gives because they think it is good for their business. They anticipate a positive return on their investment.

It’s possible that the reason he sold the HCA stock was to have money to pay off the debt, but he hasn’t said that, … There’s a number of financial actions going on here which...

From the local mayor or sheriff all the way up to the president, it means people have a real distrust of their government.

The whole culture is based on the ability to raise funds. Most of the ones who are running for the leadership are very well-connected in this fundraising community.

As a fund-raising strategy, it makes sense. As a matter of ethics, it looks terrible.

You’re never going to stop it all. It’s a question of keeping it under some control.

Right now, a number of members are betting on the public losing interest and getting away without any new reforms.

There is always the cliche ‘a pox on both your houses.’ But I do think the party in power does take extra heat on these things.

… They’re connected because often the political contributions open the door that allow the lobbyist in. The check by itself doesn’t have written on it the agenda. It’s the lobbyist that follows those contributions that...

There is no way this is good for him. How bad it will be will depend on what else we see happen.

Criminally, I don’t know if you can hold the campaign liable, … But civilly, if you can show the campaign had reckless disregard for the law, you could go after them for that.

Businesses want to succeed. They want to make sure they get access and a hearing, regardless of who’s in office. They’re very bottom-line oriented.

The reality is that it is mainly a Republican scandal for several reasons.

What you’re seeing here is what happens when a pharmaceutical industry, through lobbying and campaign contributions and influence buying, gets a program that it wants. What the industry lobbied against was any type of uniform...

They can speak at an event, and as long as the disclaimer is there, it seems like he (McCain) is following the law.

It’s a fine line and it really depends on what the contributor knew.

You have to worry that allowing such income, especially when it is so closely associated with Pombo politically, is a reward.

The K St. Project really changed some of the fundamental rules of the game,

Most of the work goes on at the committee level. It’s where contributors have the most influence. They’re getting access, they’re getting a friendly ear, they’re getting assurances that their phone calls will be returned.

We see this after every major disaster or tragedy. People are putting forward their wish lists and saying it’s all connected to the hurricane. We saw it after 9-11. Everyone was saying then that it...

There?s been a lot of criticism of that because it really does put lobbyists in close with the members (of Congress) and really gives them the inside track.

One of the things people who are running for president try to do is keep their fundraising staff and political people close at hand. And one of the ways you can do that is by...

It’s enticing for a lot of them to go over to that side.

At the end of the day, they [prosecutors] have to prove a connection between the contribution and the activity.

The idea of ‘cronies’ has been around for a long time, … Every president that comes in has a lot of political appointees that they can bring in with them.

[It’s unusual for members of Congress to accept donations in the days surrounding contract awards because doing so can easily] blow up in their face, … There’s a fine line between a contributor supporting someone...

That is very unusual because, in effect, if you freeze or seize the account, you’re stopping the campaign and most prosecutors won’t do that without very good cause.

I think it’s a long shot, for anyone to think it will be passed in Congress.

One of the problems the Indians are going to face after all this is that they still want to be able to make campaign donations, but I don’t know who is going to be willing...

People expect further indictments before November, which may very well be at a lower level. Then prosecutors will see how high they can take it. This is a ticking time bomb and no one knows...

They’re a big player,

It has to be seen for what it is. This is an industry group supported by the industry to put forward the views of the pharmaceutical industry on this issue.

DeLay set a new benchmark for fund raising and that’s not going to go away.

Members may escape a conviction for bribery but not escape the political fallout.

If a party puts $4 million into a House race, it’s really releasing a lot of guns. It shows the importance of the race.

The Republicans made a very big deal about it during the Clinton administration, … In this whole business, the whole issue is perception.

In the end, what is going to be judged is whether there is enforcement of the laws. The key is disclosure and transparency.

A lot of people tend to vote for their economic interest. So doctors see their interests more aligned with the Republicans, believing that Democrats favor more of a standardized health care plan, while 86 percent...

Indian tribes have become a political force, and they have to be looked at that way with regard to political contributions.

This is an end run around the campaign finance laws. It does away with the contribution limits and it avoids disclosure, and it’s a way for the special interests who are supporting him to buy...

You get this image that they are taking money out of one pocket and giving it to a charity while they are taking money from lobbyist-sponsored fundraisers with the other hand.

In most cases, it’s a discrete amount of money [involved] – it’s not the entire campaign war chest. You are usually talking about a small percentage of the total campaign fund, in which case it’s...

I think 2006 may be a very contentious year. The Democrats see a very weakened president, and the Republicans running for re-election are really concerned about relying on Bush’s popularity. I think the Democrats are...

I think they felt the way that many high-tech companies felt: that what happened in Washington didn’t affect them and that they were outside the political realm.

The declaration of net income for a year that the gross of the fees received far exceed the income limit is troubling.

There is a real incumbent advantage, because the line between campaigning and Senate duties is very thin.

These are people who want to be close to the governor and they’re buying access. Their business interests are tied up with his political agenda. And when he spends a lot of time raising money...

The line between a bribe and a legal contribution is very thin, but it is that line that keeps you out of jail. The critical element is whether there was an understanding or agreement to...

That’s a major fight. It brings in a lot of the national security issues that the administration has been hammering. This is all the things they’ve been using as hot-button issues to motivate the base....

There is a fine line between a political contribution and a bribe, but that fine line is the difference between returning to Congress and going to jail.