Back in 1913, Woodrow Wilson said Washington was “swarming with lobbyists … you can’t throw a brick in any direction without hitting one.” Fast-forward 90 years or so and it seems little has changed in America’s capital. Sure the city’s aged a little, there are more monuments and a few more tourists each year—but the overwhelming number of cash-laden lobbyists seeking to influence politicians who need funds remains.

Few industries have experienced as much growth as lobbying over the last few years. With 14,000 registered lobbyists, and as many again who are not registered, glorified access-peddling has grown into a $4 billion industry.

The job description of a lobbyist is relatively straightforward. A lobbyist is paid by a corporation or any other donor to act as an intermediary between the corporation and the politicians and political bodies that write the legislation under which that corporation must operate.

The industry is all about who you know. The more friends a lobbyist has on Capitol Hill, the more effective and in demand he or she will be.

Describing the job of a lobbyist is simple, but actually doing the job in a legal and ethical manner is an altogether different matter. Just ask high-flying Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The now-infamous lobbyist at the center of a widely publicized scandal pleaded guilty last week to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. On top of it all, Mr. Abramoff agreed to a plea deal in which he has promised to provide evidence about the actions (many likely to be illegal) of numerous members of Congress, as well as other prominent politicians.

As details of the Abramoff story emerged last week, politicians and reporters were quick to highlight the potential ramifications of the case. Charleston’s Post and Courier referred to Democrat Jim Clyburn as saying that “The investigation into lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s influence on Capitol Hill is going to make Watergate look like a Sunday school picnic” (January 6).

The Washington Post stated, “The plea deal could have enormous legal and political consequences for the lawmakers on whom Abramoff lavished luxury trips, skybox fundraisers, campaign contributions, jobs for their spouses, and meals at Signatures, the lobbyist’s upscale restaurant” (January 4). There is one thing about the Abramoff case, fresh as it is, that is sure: It won’t be going away any time soon.

In the coming weeks and months, Abramoff will provide information and testimony about members of the House and Senate, as well as congressional staffers, Interior Department workers, other executive branch officials and even other lobbyists. And if the reaction of many politicians to Abramoff’s plea deal is anything to go by, the chance of further criminal implications is high.

As news of the plea bargain filtered through America’s political elite last week, politicians rushed to publicly sever their ties with the once-popular Abramoff. News of various politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike, digging out their checkbooks and giving to charity any money they had received from Abramoff was everywhere. Even the president was reported to have donated $6,000 of Abramoff-contaminated money to charity.

There is a lot that has yet to be revealed about the Abramoff case, and the true extent of how many politicians are actually involved in this scandal. And you can rest assured that the American media will be on hand in the coming months to provide us with the grisly details of the fraud, lies, money laundering, back-stabbing, blackmail and bribery that are no doubt embedded within this epic thriller.

But one thing we can already learn from the Abramoff case. Too many of our nation’s leaders are too easily influenced in their decisions by glib lobbyists with deep pockets. The foundation on which our laws are being made is deteriorating; the moral compass of our leaders is cracked.

The days when national law was shaped by biblical laws, morals and ethics and a spirit of fairness and well-being for American citizens are gone. That basis for law is being replaced with a foundation of greed and lust for wealth and power. Money has become the driving factor in American politics. Without it, politicians in America can go nowhere.

The total spent on the 2004 presidential and congressional races was almost incomprehensible: $4 billion!

In a climate of such excessiveness, underfunded candidates are invisible candidates. London’s Independent pointed to the following example: “The summit of extravagance was the 2004 Senate race in South Dakota, one of the least populous and less affluent U.S. states. The two candidates spent a combined $40 million. In an average state, the cost of defending a Senate seat is $20 million. This means an incumbent has to raise $9,000 every day of his six-year term. At which point, enter the lobbyists” (January 4).

Can you believe that? A senator, in this case, must raise $9,000 per day for six years if he wants to have enough money to finance his efforts for re-election.

The pressure to raise so much money leaves many politicians exposed to the smooth tongues of cash-rich lobbyists who are prepared to give massive donations in return for legislative favors and others concessions.

This cycle of greed has permeated America’s political culture. As a result, we face a severe crisis in leadership. To learn more about the biblical reasons for this crisis, read our September-October 2002 Trumpet article “Why This World Lacks Leadership.”