Some people use money to influence political decisions. Sad, I know

By Richard Barry

I'm sure the implication for everyone reading the recent New York Times piece on Marco Rubio's biggest benefactor is that the Clinton's are not the only ones with rich friends who help out and may expect a little assistance in return. I'm equally sure the articles author's wanted that understood.

MSNBC's First Read makes the point, in the event you really need the explanation.

If you apply the same logic that conservative author Peter Schweizer used for Hillary Clinton -- that donations to the Clinton Foundation appeared to influence policy decisions by Hillary Clinton's State Department -- then the New York Times' profile of big Marco Rubio patron Norman Braman is equally eyebrow-raising. What Braman has given Rubio over the years: He's helped finance Rubio's campaigns; hired Rubio as a lawyer; employed Rubio's wife; paid Rubio's salary as an instructor at a Miami college; and now has committed about $10 million to the pro-Rubio Super PAC in 2016. What Braman has gotten in return: Rubio helped steer millions of taxpayer funds to Braman-backed charities.

I'm thinking there aren't a lot of politicians who want to go down this road aggressively.  And in the Clinton case there isn't even a direct link, just money and interests. For Rubio there's a lot of smoke coming from that gun.