Measuring the Drapes in Secret: Why New Approaches to Money and Politics Can Address Biased Access and Influence During Presidential Transitions

Abstract Conventional research strategies to explore the relationship between money and politics have found little evidence of rampant political corruption. Newer perspectives on money and politics, however, suggest that deep political inequalities and biased pluralism may threaten democratic institutions. The presidential transition phase offers a case study in how an unregulated political process may result in unequal policy outcomes. This case suggests that new regulations might improve political equality and justify the development of a new legal theory focused on the relationship between money and politics.