Bribe and campaign contribution sometimes hard to distinguish
Reader says the only difference seems to be that a bribe occurs at about the same time as the action wanted.
DEAR HARRY: In my doctor's office last week, I read an old article about bribery of politicians. They caught a bunch of people in pretty high positions. I'm just an ordinary guy who works in a large retail store. I have no college education, and I live in a rowhouse in South Philly. I am trying to figure out why a bribe is not legal, but a campaign contribution is, no matter how big. The only difference I can see is that a bribe occurs at about the same time as the action wanted, and the contribution to a campaign is made before the action. Could you please give me my Uncle Harry's view on this in plain, sixth-grade English?
WHAT HARRY SAYS:
Let's assume that you're a politician running for Congress next year, and that I'm a billionaire wanting more wealth and power. I hate high income taxes. I know that you are a strong opponent of high taxes on guys like me. You shout your belief that lower taxes on the rich mean more jobs for the poor. You come to rich Harry, point out our agreement on this and other issues, and ask for my help. I come across with a million bucks directly and indirectly to your campaign. Is this a bribe? Or is it a perfectly legal way of using my free-speech rights? The Supreme Court, in the Citizens United and McCutcheon cases, ruled it OK. Now, let's look at another view: You are appointed to be the guy who decides where a new police building will be built, and I come to you to get a new station on land that I own. I propose to give you money to get it done. A bribe? A hard distinction.
Email Harry Gross at harrygrossDN@gmail.com, or
write to him at Daily News, 801 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19107.
Harry urges all his readers to give blood. Contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-Red Cross.