Mexico cartels buying officials with campaign cash

By MARK STEVENSON
The Associated Press
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 9:45 PM

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon said Wednesday that cartels are seeking to control territory by sinking drug money into political campaigns and buying off officials before they are even elected.

Calderon suggested reforms are needed to make local officials more accountable, including allowing them to stand for re-election - giving them more reason to answer to constituents - and more closely supervising cash used in campaigns.

"The main and most practiced method used by criminals is to make contact with officials before they are elected, by financing their campaigns," Calderon said.

"Once an economic link between criminals and the candidate is established, it is very hard, practically impossible, to break it after they are elected, because it becomes a permanent link," he said.

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