SOFT MONEY by EL Burton 
The True Power in Our Nation's Capital
1st Book Library - Jan 2001 
ISBN: 1588204030 - paperback
Suspense / Political Intrigue 

Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer, MyShelf.com
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Clay Danvers, political strategist, is liaison between The Group and Preston Anthony Wesley, the President of the United States. He learns some unpleasant truths about the President's past and is in a dilemma. He must choose between his loyalty to the President and the dictates of his conscience and principles. 

The Group is composed of the heads of some of the most powerful conglomerates in the world.  They have contributed vast sums of money to the President's campaigns so have gained favor and profit from their relationship with the President. They will stop at nothing to prevent their position from being jeopardized. 

Lawrence Brazelton, former law partner of the President, has incriminating evidence from the past that could bring down the President. Disturbing events occur which lead him to determine to bring down not only the President but also The Group.  He wants to turn over the evidence to the Independent Counsel, who is investigating the President, but first must elude the forces set out by The Group who want the evidence and Brazelton destroyed. 

This is a timely subject of campaign finance.  It presents a thought provoking and chilling scenario of what can happen when power rests in the hands of the unscrupulous.  The set-up of the surveillance of Lawrence is graphic and mind boggling. It confirms the knowledge that with today's technology no one is immune from scrutiny. 

The plot is well constructed...a rapid pace is maintained with the feeling of suspense continuing to the end.  The atmosphere of the politics and its machinations is very realistic.  The characters are portrayed as real people with human emotions. 

This is a first novel by Burton, an excellent beginning. Hopefully there will be more in the future. 
 

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