Lobbyists for special interest groups are, shall we say, not the most highly regarded people in the political ecosphere. It’s not just that the public doesn’t like politicians; both politicians and the public tend to hate lobbyists even more. But just in case you need another reason to think they’re morally depraved opportunists, read on.
A recent one article in the American Economic Journal examined the voting behavior of American politicians around the time major natural disasters strike. Obviously, when a natural disaster occurs, such as a hurricane or a wildfire, the news focuses on this event, rather than the daily events on Capitol Hill. In other words, the pressure to perform for the public, which is great in a world of social media and 24-hour news channels, is reduced.
That should be great news, because it gives politicians a little more leeway to vote their conscience instead of toeing the official party line or making performative speeches in Congress. Democracy should work a little better when public attention is focused on the unfolding natural disaster.
Or politicians feel less inhibited about giving in to their donors and the lobbyists who represent special interest groups.
The graph shows how much a politician’s vote in Congress aligns with the interests of his largest donor during the two weeks surrounding a natural disaster. In the three days following a disaster, politicians increase their affiliation with the special interest group that sponsors them by 6.3%. Vote like no one is watching, you might say. And when no one is looking, moral hazard kicks in and politicians shift their votes in favor of the people who give them the greatest incentive to vote a certain way.
Coordinating with special interests before and after natural disasters
Source: Kaplan et al. (2025)
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