How is this not illegal?

[ksen]

http://capitolfax.com/2015/05/15/rauner-drops-400k-on-gop-legislators-this-week/

[Gov] Rauner is hoping to put forth a united front heading into the final, frenzied days of session. The governor, whose campaign fund held more than $20.5 million to help supportive Republicans and potentially punish obstinate legislators, made the unorthodox move of doling out $400,000 to GOP lawmakers this week, a Rauner aide said.

The donations to the Republican legislators, who are a minority to the overwhelming Democratic majority that controls the House and Senate, included $10,000 to Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont.

So a sitting governor, who obviously has business before the legislature, is allowed to hand out $400,000 in bribes contributions to legislators before an upcoming vote?

Makes perfect sense.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Well, I guess that if you're both the people who write the laws and the people who receive the money, you can find a way to make it legal and allowable.

 

[Axulus]

http://capitolfax.com/2015/05/15/rauner-drops-400k-on-gop-legislators-this-week/

[Gov] Rauner is hoping to put forth a united front heading into the final, frenzied days of session. The governor, whose campaign fund held more than $20.5 million to help supportive Republicans and potentially punish obstinate legislators, made the unorthodox move of doling out $400,000 to GOP lawmakers this week, a Rauner aide said.

The donations to the Republican legislators, who are a minority to the overwhelming Democratic majority that controls the House and Senate, included $10,000 to Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont.

So a sitting governor, who obviously has business before the legislature, is allowed to hand out $400,000 in bribes contributions to legislators before an upcoming vote?

Makes perfect sense.

I'm trying to work out the logic here:

If they don't vote his way, he takes back the money?

Wouldn't it be more of a bribe if the money was given after the vote was made, and only to those who voted the way he wanted?

Is it also a bribe when a politician is threatened to be kicked out of the political party they belong to if they don't cooperate sufficiently with that party, where they'll lose out on all the support and the resources that the party provides?

 

[KeepTalking]

http://capitolfax.com/2015/05/15/rauner-drops-400k-on-gop-legislators-this-week/



So a sitting governor, who obviously has business before the legislature, is allowed to hand out $400,000 in bribes contributions to legislators before an upcoming vote?

Makes perfect sense.

I'm trying to work out the logic here:

If they don't vote his way, he takes back the money?

Wouldn't it be more of a bribe if the money was given after the vote was made, and only to those who voted the way he wanted?

It's just a taste to get them hooked. If they want any more $$ from him, they better do exactly what he tells them, otherwise the political spigot gets turned off.

 

[ksen]

Is it also a bribe when a politician is threatened to be kicked out of the political party they belong to if they don't cooperate sufficiently with that party, where they'll lose out on all the support and the resources that the party provides?

A party can't kick a politician out of it.

 

[Bronzeage]

Is it also a bribe when a politician is threatened to be kicked out of the political party they belong to if they don't cooperate sufficiently with that party, where they'll lose out on all the support and the resources that the party provides?

A party can't kick a politician out of it.

If a political party is a legally incorporated entity(it has to be in order to have a bank account), somewhere in the bylaws there will be a few lines on membership. This will define what qualifies a person to be a member of the party, and what sort of things would compel the party to revoke their membership.

It's the difference between being a communist and a card carrying communist.

 

[ksen]

I believe you're wrong about what political parties can do to politicians.

If Joe Communist wants to run as a republican he can do so as long as he meets his state's requirements to get on the ballot.

That doesn't mean the party apparatus has to support him but they can't tell him he can't run as a republican.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Is it also a bribe when a politician is threatened to be kicked out of the political party they belong to if they don't cooperate sufficiently with that party, where they'll lose out on all the support and the resources that the party provides?

A party can't kick a politician out of it.

They certainly can.
Even if he calls himself a Republican, they can exclude him from meetings and photo opportunities, they can stop supporting his legislation. Stuff he needs for his voters won't get paper clipped to other legislation, no one will make trades to get his vote for their legislation, they'll never put him on any committee.

His time at the capital will be 'that thing I did for no real good reason, with no benefit to my constituents...

 

[ksen]

yes . . . and he'd still be Politician X (R-TX).

 

[dismal]

Next ksen will be suggesting Obama shouldn't be out there doing fundraisers for candidates that support him.

I personally think it would be a big improvement to our democracy if politicians bribed each other for votes with small amounts of their own money instead of large amounts of taxpayer money.

The ever vigilant voter could, of course, effectively police the activity by drumming out people who kept voting for things they didn't support.

 

[Axulus]

yes . . . and he'd still be Politician X (R-TX).

I don't know all the technical details on how a party can effectively kick out a member, but, even if it isn't possible, the party could still effectively cut them off from all support/resources and the leadership could make sure they don't get coveted positions on committees and such.

Are not the resources/support and offer of coveted positions similar in value (if not much greater in value) as a contribution to campaign funds?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

http://capitolfax.com/2015/05/15/rauner-drops-400k-on-gop-legislators-this-week/



So a sitting governor, who obviously has business before the legislature, is allowed to hand out $400,000 in bribes contributions to legislators before an upcoming vote?

Makes perfect sense.

I'm trying to work out the logic here:

If they don't vote his way, he takes back the money?

Wouldn't it be more of a bribe if the money was given after the vote was made, and only to those who voted the way he wanted?

More of a bribe? Is there no separation of power issue with the Executive Branch doling out cash to the Legislative Branch? Might be entirely legal, but sure the fuck seems unethical as hell.

Is it also a bribe when a politician is threatened to be kicked out of the political party they belong to if they don't cooperate sufficiently with that party, where they'll lose out on all the support and the resources that the party provides?

Yes, I think Grover Norquist is bribing the majority of the Republicans in Congress.

 

[ksen]

Wouldn't it be more of a bribe . . .

Thank you for acknowleding that what the governor is doing is a bribe.

 

[Axulus]

Wouldn't it be more of a bribe . . .

Thank you for acknowleding that what the governor is doing is a bribe.

Is Obama engaging in bribes when the essential agreement is that you must cooperate with his "agenda" to get his endorsement and maybe to get him to show up at your campaign rallies?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Thank you for acknowleding that what the governor is doing is a bribe.

Is Obama engaging in bribes when the essential agreement is that you must cooperate with his "agenda" to get his endorsement and maybe to get him to show up at your campaign rallies?

Is this agreement in place?

 

[Axulus]

Is Obama engaging in bribes when the essential agreement is that you must cooperate with his "agenda" to get his endorsement and maybe to get him to show up at your campaign rallies?

Is this agreement in place?

Is there an agreement in place that you must vote the way the governor wants to get $10,000 campaign contribution from the party fund?

Generally the party and politicians reward other politicians who support them and cooperate with them through endorsements, coveted committee appointments, cabinet appointments, party resources, and direct campaign involvement. Are all these things bribes to solicit cooperation?

 

[ksen]

Thank you for acknowleding that what the governor is doing is a bribe.

Is Obama engaging in bribes when the essential agreement is that you must cooperate with his "agenda" to get his endorsement and maybe to get him to show up at your campaign rallies?

How about we stick with the topic in the OP of a sitting governor giving cash to state legislators before a vote.

 

[Axulus]

Is Obama engaging in bribes when the essential agreement is that you must cooperate with his "agenda" to get his endorsement and maybe to get him to show up at your campaign rallies?

How about we stick with the topic in the OP of a sitting governor giving cash to state legislators before a vote.

I don't see the relevant differences with everything else politicians and parties do to support each other and perks given out if cooperation is provided. There is even an official title given to the individual who brokers deals (bribes? threats?) to get cooperation from others in the party on key legislation: party whip. Can you explain the relevant differences from those things vs what happened in the OP to me?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Is this agreement in place?

Is there an agreement in place that you must vote the way the governor wants to get $10,000 campaign contribution from the party fund?

*slams head against desk*

Generally the party and politicians reward other politicians who support them and cooperate with them through endorsements, coveted committee appointments, cabinet appointments, party resources, and direct campaign involvement. Are all these things bribes to solicit cooperation?

It looks particularly bad in this case because it involves cash.

 

[Axulus]

Is there an agreement in place that you must vote the way the governor wants to get $10,000 campaign contribution from the party fund?

*slams head against desk*

Generally the party and politicians reward other politicians who support them and cooperate with them through endorsements, coveted committee appointments, cabinet appointments, party resources, and direct campaign involvement. Are all these things bribes to solicit cooperation?

It looks particularly bad in this case because it involves cash.

Why is cash for a campaign fund bad but a political endorsement and campaign help from a leading politician that is worth far more than $10k cash OK?