Stories

“Mechanisms were created to be able to track where campaigns’ funds were coming from, to ensure that public funds are not being spent for either personal gain or for campaign election efforts," Pelissero said.

“Frankly, voters believe that if a candidate running for office is accepting money during their campaign from large corporations or business interests, that they’re doing so because they’re expected to do something for that business. It’s a form of a quid pro quo."

“We should know, are they running an ethical campaign? Do they have an ethical culture as they begin running for office that they would take with them as they assume public office?” Pelissero said.

John Pelissero, senior scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University and professor emeritus of political science at Loyola University Chicago interviewed by the Sinclair Broadcast Group.