Researchers found a link between an increase in anti-environment votes and an increase in financial contributions. They noticed how the lawmakers’ scores from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) dipped and then were followed by campaign funding from the industry. There is a 10% decrease on average in the LCV score in an election cycle that was associated with an additional in $1,700 campaign funds from the corporations in the following cycle. In other words, every time those scores dipped, they got paid.

This study basically just found out what everyone knows. Lobbying works. It is why companies lobby politicians. Whether explicitly or implicitly, politicians know that if they do what a certain lobbyist wants, a certain company or industry is going to put some money in their re-election bank account. They also know that if they sign onto certain bills, voters who support them may not like them, but they also won’t vote those politicians out of office. On the other hand, if they don’t do what certain corporations want, they may face a heavily funded primary opponent.

This study analyzed data across […]