Speaking Freely: Washington Insiders Talk About Money in Politics

by Larry Makinson

Speaking Freely yanks readers from their living room couch and drops them into the plush offices of Washington insiders for frank, one-on-one conversations about the role of money in politics. Twenty-four power brokers – current and former members of Congress, lobbyists, PAC directors and big-money donors – answer the questions that are usually evaded when the cameras are rolling and reporters’ notebooks are open. The result is a set of brutally honest assessments about everything from what it’s like for a member of Congress to ask special interests for money, to what the donors really hope for in return for their investment. Those interviewed included former Reps. Sam Gejdenson (D-Conn.) and Rick Lazio (R-NY) and former Sens. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) and Chuck Robb (D-Va.), as well as some of the biggest donors and most powerful lobbyists in the land.

154 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2003