GOP Prices Congressional Committee Seats - Massie Says They Aint Cheap The GOP will never be the same. As 2016 lumbers on, it is becoming increasingly obvious that those of us with little to no cash are basically shut out of the political game. Somewhere the term corporate oligarchy came up, and that might actually be correct. See, there is a relatively small group of people out there with enough money to be able to pay others to do their bidding all while violating oaths of office. There is also a small number of people out there who, being the ones to dole out power and privilege, have no shame in extorting new-comers to do the dirty work. That would be fundraising. See, in yet another sign that Donald Trump is sunlight on a noxious fungus, Kentucky Congresscritter Thomas Massie explained to the Daily Independent of Ashland just how the extortion, uh, assessments work on Capitol Hill: I call it extortion, they call it assessments, he said. These assessments, essentially dues to the Republican party, are fundraised through political action committees and lobbyists as a price to pay for committee positions, Massie told a crowd of about 25 during a recent coffee and pizza forum in Flatwoods. He told them, I cant go and do a fundraiser and raise $300,000 and stand up in front of people and tell them, Well, you know what? Its not really about the election. I need the money to buy a committee seat. It seems that this information is known, but not acknowledged all that often, and, in fact, is buried to the point that few people care. After all, NPR did expose this in 2012. People know about this, sometimes it becomes an issue. but it just doesnt get enough people mad enough..It just doesnt have enough interest for people, Massie said I dont want to give you the impression committee seats are for sale, Massie said. Theyre for rent. Now THAT this writer will believe. This sort of activity doesnt just breed corruption, it IS corruption. On a massive scale. Which begs the question, how much did Ted Cruz pay in assessments for this committee list. Ted Cruz Senate Committee Assignments Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness, Chairman It does explain a lot, though. 