Something Stinks in Sacramento : The influence of money is pervasive, as corruption trial spotlights

It doesn’t take the disheartening testimony in the corruption trial now under way in Sacramento to know that something is rotten in the Capitol. Whether the two former legislative aides on trial in federal court are proved guilty or acquitted of conspiracy and extortion charges is almost beside the point. So foul has the political fund-raising process become that the surprise may be that more of those involved--whether they are lobbyists, aides or legislators themselves--don’t step over the line.

Still, there does not seem to be the political will to stop the merry-go-round, which was set in motion by the high cost of running campaigns and the willingness of special interests to contribute to legislators in return for “access” on matters of interest to them.

Public financing of campaigns would help. But the likelihood of that being approved by the California electorate is not good. Fed up with budgetary haggling and angry with tax increases triggered by the recession, voters are in an ugly mood. Unfortunately, they are far more likely to express their concern about the system by limiting legislators’ terms-- a la the Draconian Proposition 140 passed last November--than by setting aside taxpayer money to pay for political campaigns.

That means candidates for the foreseeable future will have to grub for money to cover campaign costs. Individual supporters are sometimes helpful. But the bulk of cash comes from the companies and organizations that regularly lobby in Sacramento. Lobbyists and legislators alike deny that there is any quid pro quo for contributions, which usually come in the form of tickets for fund-raising events. Most legislators and aides, indeed, struggle to maintain independence from contributors.

But, as the current trial indicates, that isn’t always the case. Prosecutors allege that one of the defendants told an FBI informant that “if you wanted to get special-interest legislation through the Legislature . . . you bought it, as simple as that.” Even those in the Capitol who would argue with that statement admit that the constant search for campaign money has gotten far out of hand.

Lobbyists, who have the most to gain from the system, now complain that they can’t keep up with the requests for contributions. They are inundated with invitations to fund-raisers, especially as the pace quickens in these final weeks before the legislative session ends in mid-September. Most of these events run about $500 a ticket, with some twice that, and many politicians have several a year. With 120 members in the Legislature, and a host of candidates for other offices, the cost of “doing business” is staggering.

It would be easy to dismiss this as someone else’s problem. But when the system is skewed in favor of those who have enough money to play the game, so is public policy.