Money and Politics in Florida

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Election campaign records following the past legislative session in Florida show that sugar and telephone companies both gave the most and got the most in return. Loosened pollution restrictions in the Everglades and an impending increase in telephone service rates, the largest in history, appear to be the payoff for more then $3.5 million the industries gave to state-level candidates and committees. "The two industries employed nearly 200 registered lobbyists during this year's legislative session - including former House speakers, former legislators, ex-Bush aides and well-connected political operatives," writes Peter Wallsten. "On their own, those lobbyists gave millions of dollars in campaign contributions."