Reply #2: Pay To Play Vs. Quid Pro Quo

[KharmaTrain]

This is not condoning either, but there is a distinction here to be made...and maybe this could explain why some did bite on Blago's apple.

As we know well to well, money makes politicians go 'round, but there's money that goes in their pockets (bribe...quid pro quo...giving something for getting something) and taking money for a campaign or political action fund or even a charity in exchange for a vote or consideration...that's pay for play. It goes on in Washington. The K-Street project was a perfect example...it went right up to the laws of legality (and over by Abramoff), but always stayed within legal and the money almost always ended up in some campaign fund or political action committee.

The read I get is that Jackson and his supporters were really putting on the pressure for the appointment and it sounds like Blago and his people did the "you scratch my back" game with Jackson's supporters thinking it was for a future Blago campaign...the word had been that Blago actually was thinking of running again in 2010 and would face a serious primary challenge...and need the money. We'll find out in the days and weeks ahead if the line was crossed into a bribe...making it a personal donation rather a political one.