By Prensa Latina,
Washington : The power of money in US policy has never been stronger and more troublesome than in the current presidential campaign, the most expensive in the country’s history, The New York Times daily denounced on Tuesday.
Republican candidate John McCain, who defended in the past limiting the funds for elections, had to dismiss five of his assistants, because they were linked to lobbying firms, said an editorial published by the newspaper.
Democratic candidate Barack Obama is also receiving hefty donations from private sectors, the article said.
Meanwhile, the publication commented that his opposition party rival Hillary Clinton was a great money collector during the past decade.
However, the three have promised to control the role of dollars in politics, but after the end of the campaign, said the daily.
According to the Center for Responsible Politics, Clinton and Obama had collected almost $424 million until March, while McCain got around $77 million.
The rest of the candidates of both groups collected another $366 million, and have given up their intentions to reach the country’s presidency.
Those figures were reached despite approval of the McCain-Finegold law six years ago, with the objective of limiting electoral financing from the so called soft money, given by large contributors without limits or regulations.
The law prohibited those donations in favor of individual donations, and forced to reveal in public each contribution exceeding $200.