Donor activity is associated with US legislators' attention to political issues.

ABSTRACT: Campaign contributions are a staple of congressional life. Yet, the search for tangible effects of congressional donations often focuses on the association between contributions and votes on congressional bills. We present an alternative approach by considering the relationship between money and legislators' speech. Floor speeches are an important component of congressional behavior, and reflect a legislator's policy priorities and positions in a way that voting cannot. Our research provides the first comprehensive analysis of the association between a legislator's campaign donors and the policy issues they prioritize with congressional speech. Ultimately, we find a robust relationship between donors and speech, indicating a more pervasive role of money in politics than previously assumed.

SUBMITTER: Goel P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10511130 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature