Extortion

How Politicians Extract Your Money, Buy Votes, and Line Their Own Pockets

Peter Schweizer

• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9780544334557
• eBook ISBN:
  9780544103306
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Law
• Index: Politics & International Relations

"Schweizer names guilty parties . . . He exposes powerful figures in politics, law firms, and corporations." — Forbes

Washington is no longer about lawmaking, it's about moneymaking

Conventional wisdom holds that Washington is broken because outside special interests bribe politicians. The reverse is true: politicians have developed a new set of brass-knuckle legislative tactics designed to extort wealthy industries and donors into forking over big donations — cash that lawmakers often funnel into the pockets of their friends and family.

Inside this best-selling bombshell of a book, Schweizer reveals the exorbitant secret "fees" each political party charges politicians for top committee assignments; how fourteen members of Congress bagged hundreds of thousands of dollars using a little-known self-loan loophole; how politicians use PACs to bankroll lavish lifestyles; and much more. Washington's extortion racket has gone unreported — until now.

• The Extortion Racket: Discover why the real problem in Washington isn’t bribery, but a system where politicians use legislative threats to shake down donors for cash and favors.
• Milker Bills and Tollbooths: Uncover the cynical tactics used to manufacture crises—from introducing bills designed only to generate donations to charging a “toll” for a critical vote to even take place.
• Campaign Finance Loopholes: Follow the money as Schweizer exposes how members of Congress legally funnel donations into their own pockets, pay family members, and use PACs to bankroll lavish lifestyles.
• Naming Names: Based on meticulous research, this exposé goes beyond theory to identify the powerful figures in both parties who profit from the system.

Appendix 1

REPUBLICAN PARTY DUES LISTS, 2013¹

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Table of contents

• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Introduction
• America’s Most Expensive Tollbooth
• Protection: for a Price
• The Underground Washington Economy
• The Double-Milker
• Slush Funds
• Trust Me
• Protection for a Price
• It’s a Family Affair
• Conclusion
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2
• Notes
• Index
• Acknowledgments
• Sample Chapter from THROW THEM ALL OUT
• Buy the Book
• About the Author