PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE: Giving money to candidates to help win lucrative contracts was common and expected, according to two contractors mentioned in a damning grand jury report that produced criminal charges against eight people connected with the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
One of the contractors said political donations were the price of admission for access to state power brokers. The other won praise recently for its latest project with the turnpike. ..
“For us, it’s all about marketing. I’m more interested in seeing and talking to 30 people in the room (at a political event) than who is getting the check,” said Kevin Johnson, founder and president of the Pottstown-based Traffic Planning & Design Inc… (more)
EDITOR: As Arlen Specter’s former state wide finance chair in 1980, we know what it is about. It is currying favor so that the lobbyist will have access to elected officials and ….yes … perhaps an edge in influence.
Few if any elected official want to turn their backs on an industry that has and will provide a large portion of their desperately needed campaign funds.
