Say, Hey, What do you say, Pay to Play is here to stay!

Pay to play; someone who wants a lucrative government contract, a regulatory favor, or some other special consideration, contributes an appropriate amount of money to a politician and Voila! favor is granted.

It is, of course, illegal, but with a enough of the right kind of lawyers, guns and money, indictment can be avoided, link.

Normally, when people get caught doing something wrong, they stop doing it. Not so with Gov Bill Richardson and Lt Gov Diane Denish.

The Gerald Murphy/Spectacular Attractions contract, link, a case in point. A large and lucrative contract is to be let to a campaign donor after a bid process where the donor was the only bidder.

The appearance of impropriety is inescapable.

Richardson will not renounce the deal, and Denish's silence gives tacit approval.

Nothing yet from the camp of Susana Martinez,
leading the cynical, me, to wonder if there aren't
Republican carnival operators waiting in the wings
for a sole bid opportunity on the contract.

So why does "getting caught" not change the dynamic of
pay to play in government?

Clearly because, aside from the stain on their honor,
there is no consequence for their misconduct, link.

So why would anyone suppose that
pay to play, ain't here to stay?