Ah, zee dangers of merely putting limits on who can give how much to legislative candidates: loopholes loom large. The Washington Post reports on the ways lobbyist money has found around the regulations placed in its path when it comes time to fill the campaign coffers of Maryland candidates.

Despite efforts in the wake of corruption investigations to stop lobbyists from soliciting contributions for candidates, or forming political action committees (PACs) to direct cash to candidates, other PAC arrangements and the selling of donor lists have cropped up to fill the ever-rising demand for money. Everybody knows how this game works:

 

"It remains something of a two-way street," said Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), who served on a commission whose recommendations led to the round of reforms in 2001. "We go to them and ask for money, and they come to us and ask for votes."

The much better alternative to selective restriction on campaign contributions is the Clean Elections public financing model where all donors are equal -- you can only give small contributions. A bill is currently being considered by the Maryland Senate that would give state legislators the chance to run with Clean Elections, and not have to count on lobbyist cash to mount a competitive bid for office.