The state of Tennessee every year pays billions to private companies that have contracts to perform government work. And, in some cases, those companies then make sizable campaign contributions directly to the politicians who influence whether those agreements are approved.
To the public, this looks like “pay-to-play” politics, according to Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, and Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, who are introducing groundbreaking anti-corruption legislation to put an end to this practice.