mr. wallance. you have investigated government officials. building seven of the world trade -- host: he is not calling on the topic we are calling on. steve in indiana. please, go ahead with your question or comment about abscam. caller: $9 billion was cut from food stamps, $80 billion was given for bank. my question is, is this because the people with banks could afford to influence congress where's the ones on food stamps had no money? host: mr. wallance, if we can take this further, just to talk about congressional influence at this point, is it still possible to connect money to politicians? guest: absolutely. and it is unavoidable. here is the ambiguity that i think abscam revealed, which i think may partly answer the question, which is there is a very fine line between lawful campaign contributions and bribery. and the reason it arises is because politicians are in the business -- that is, legislators are in the business of introducing legislation. perfectly normal. that is what they are expected to do. and they are also in the busines

mr. wallance. good to see you on c-span today. have a two-part question. , on criminals, there is always the dome and the smart. targeting, here is a bundle of cash. most of the smart will just turn their back and walk away. the dumb will say, cash, let me run with it. e for many a decade, the big money -- talking tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dollars -- changes hands but , a bribe or to get someone elected, held out as a brown -- they will do it through soft-money. a $5 million piece of property. you can buy it for $500,000. we will do it through a hong kong corporation and it will just look like good business and the money is paid out and made that way. on the aspect of getting somebody elected -- there are restrictions on how much you can contribute. i could call up a congressman and sega corporation will spend $300 million will get you in it. we are not going to have any association with your campaign. we can spend as much as we want. there are no restrictions. actively has your investigation or any investigation l

mr. wallance. good to see you on c-span today. i have a two-part question. , on criminals, there is always the dome and the smart. targeting, here is a bundle of cash. most of the smart will just turn their back and walk away. the dumb will say, cash, let me run with it. e for many a decade, the big money -- talking tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dollars -- changes hands but , a bribe or to get someone elected, held out as a brown -- they will do it through soft-money. a $5 million piece of property. you can buy it for $500,000. we will do it through a hong kong corporation and it will just look like good business and the money is paid out and made that way. on the aspect of getting somebody elected -- there are restrictions on how much you can contribute. i could call up a congressman and sega corporation will spend $300 million will get you in it. we are not going to have any association with your campaign. we can spend as much as we want. there are no restrictions. actively has your investigation or any investigation