Officials are motivated by bribes, campaign contributions,
favorable investment opportunities, promises of jobs for
themselves and family members, and other payoffs.
The federal government is vulnerable to corruption
because each year it procures $500 billion in goods and
services, hands out $450 billion in 770 state aid programs,
issues 75,000 pages of regulations, oversees 66,498 pages
of tax rules, and “earmarks” spending for about 15,000
special interest projects.2 Manipulating these levers of big
government is the goal of thousands of pressure groups,
aided by Washington’s 35,000 registered lobbyists.
Senator Tom Coburn's activity on the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2254 Fax: 202-228-3796
