A PAC is a special interest group that legally raises money for a candidate or candidates. Labor unions, employees of big companies and single-issue groups all have PACs. Burton's group contributed to pro-growth candidates for local, state, and federal office. Sometimes Burton got the impression that politicians wouldn't listen unless the PAC ponied up. Contributing to guarantee access to an office-holder is widely seen as a cost of doing business in Washington.
Powerful politicians market the mystique of access.
Some of the Democrats' controversial contributors in the last election were invited to the White House for coffee, lunch or some other gathering. But the message also can be blunt. When Republicans won control of Congress in 1994, they put business PACs on notice that their contributions would be watched. Business traditionally had split its giving between both parties. When big issues are at stake, the game is more sophisticated than making a contribution to a politician and following up with a pitch on a policy idea.