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It turns out, the principe group did get to work, at least in florida, where in 2012, the group won a $1.8 million contract to help stop the closure of military bases. like the two congressmen, governor scott wasn t exactly interested in talking about the relationship between fund-raisers and contracts and doing business with the state of florida. you have to go talk to let s get to work! last question reporter: we did ask the pac, let s get to work! but we got an answer back in an e-mail from the florida republican party, which says the inference in your question is invalid and not worthy of a response. governor scott makes all decisions based on what is best for the people of florida, what will create jobs, careers and opportunities for its citizens. in other words, that d.c. fund-raiser, the $10,000 donation, the $1.8 million contract, it s all just a coincidence. drew griffin joins me now. now, drew, there is all this ....
The politicians identify with companies or industries, and they basically mark them for extortion. they introduce pieces of legislation or they threaten certain things that put those entities in a position to where they have to play ball. reporter: one person who knows all about this fully legal form of extortion is the former president of shell oil usa, john hofmeister. i realize that there is a price to participate in the political process. what i never know was what a huge price it was and how it was an endless process of continuously being hit up for money. reporter: in 2008, when oil prices were skyrocketing, hofmeister was hauled before committee after congressional committee, 18 different hearings. some members of congress even threatened to nationalize his industry. the televised hearings all political theater, he says. when the camera lights turned off, some of the very members who criticized him in public were asking for money in ....
Necessarily. as michael kinsley wrote about washington, the real scandal is not what s against the law, but what s legal. what you re about to see, the extortion game, played for personal game some say by the very politicians who make the rules, is all perfectly legal. the question is, is it also perfectly fine? that s for you to decide. drew griffin is on the money trail. we talk about corruption in third world countries. in this case, the corruptors have written the law to make it legal to the corruptees. and i consider that atrocious in the name of democracy. reporter: what s got former shell oil president john hofmeister so worked up is what many people in this town simply call business as usual. it s not only that money buys influence, it s also pay up, or else. it sounds cynical, but just look around and you see it everywhere, like this typical thursday morning. it s just after 7:00 a.m., and ....
Extract donations. reporter: if that sounds like he s accusing politicians of using the power of their office to shake down constituents for cash, well, he is. schweitzer is a fellow at the conservative hoover institute and with the government accountability institute. he s also just written a book called extortion. the politician, particularly one in leadership or one that s powerful, can really make or break a company. so, companies and other entities are put in a situation where they have to play ball, because if they don t, bad things are going to happen. basically, instead of buying votes, they are selling decisions. yes. i think the model, the way we always think of the influence market in d.c. is that it s like bribery, that you have these outside interests that are, in effect, bribing our politicians, and that certainly can take place. i think the bigger problem is more akin to extortion, where ....
Well, when we left you last night, tens of millions of people from iowa to maine were getting dumped on by inches, and in some places, feet by snow. in the cool light of day, the impacts are plain to see and still felt in snow-covered streets, canceled classes, 1,400 canceled flights, and as chad myers reports, lives lost and many more facing what could be deadly cold temperatures. reporter: the monster winter storm of 2014 is being blamed for at least two deaths. the driver of this vehicle in virginia lost control, crossed lanes and struck an oncoming car, killing himself and his passenger. give me a j-hook! reporter: accidents littered much of the east coast, like this 18-wheeler in north carolina, its front end crumpled from a collision, and this truck that flipped on an embankment in maryland. but for those most affected by the storm, which stretched a whopping 1,000 miles, digging ....