Rep. Rob Bishop has requested $6.5 billion worth of earmarks, 95 percent of which are for former campaign donors.

During this and the most recent election cycle, Rep. Jim Matheson has stuffed into his campaign pockets $253,500 from health professionals' political action committees, $178,700 from pharmaceutical PACs and $51,000 from the insurance industry PACs. Then he votes against all health care reforms.

Sen. Orrin Hatch will play a key role in the merger of Comcast and NBC, so he meets with company executives. Within the same month, and for the first time in years, the company and its executives contribute $23,000 to Hatch's campaign ("Ahead of merger, Hatch bags cash," Tribune , Feb. 4). The senator is outraged that anyone would think the logical conclusion -- that his vote could be bought.

Gov. Gary Herbert meets with coal executives who complain about a slow-moving approval. On the same day, the company contributes $10,000, and shortly the company request is fast-tracked. Herbert affirms there is no connection ("Guv: Coal gift didn't sway me," Tribune , Feb. 4).

Add January's decision by the conservative activist Supreme Court removing corporate political-spending limits, and you have a formula for the republic's demise.

Jim Dabakis

Salt Lake City