23 Nowhere is this threat of more concern today than with soft money. Anyone who questions whether soft money contributions have a corrupting influence on the political process need only peruse the final report of the Thompson Senate Committee, which was charged with investigating campaign finance abuses during the 1996 election. The explosion of soft money fundraising by federal candidates and officeholders creates the appearance that access and influence are being traded for large contributions.
Access is sold openly for soft money dollars.
And the donors know what they are buying. All you have to do is send in the check. 31 Access is not all that is bought. When the parties finally struck a compromise on the telecommunications bill, soft money contributions flowed to both parties. The insurance industry, computer and electronics industry, electric utilities, and transportation industry were among the special interests who most increased their soft money contributions in 1997.