Paid For, But Not Bought

This is pretty funny.  If my understanding of the story is correct, a group of people bankrolled a politician's campaign expecting him to do something for them.  Unfortunately for them, the politician didn't stay bought.  There's more to the story than just that element, but that's what stood out for me.

From The Age in Melbourne:

LANDHOLDERS in Melbourne's south-east are furious after they bankrolled the election campaign of a Kingston councillor - so he would help rezone their land for development - only to find out he offered a deal to an anti-development councillor in a bid to get elected as mayor.

Questions hang over the funding of last year's election campaign of the councillor, Paul Peulich, son of state MP and powerbroker Inga Peulich. Landholders confirmed to Fairfax Media that donations to Cr Peulich totalled thousands of dollars. Under law, councillors must declare all gifts and money donations over $500. On his official return filed at Kingston Council, Cr Peulich said that he had nothing to declare.

There's a lot more to this story related to the Peulich's mother and Peulich's unsuccessful bid to be mayor.

It's the part about the donors bankrolling the guy's campaign and expecting him to do what they want and instead he goes another way.  Aside from the fact that he may gone against them for other reasons, this demonstrates what a lot of people really hate about politics and the stereotypical politician.  Just give enough money to the person and you've got him or her bought.

This is also raises the question...is someone giving you money because they support your position on an issue or because they expect you to vote in favor of them.  In this case it's pretty clear this group of donors was expecting this guy to do something for them.