There has long been a "wink and a nod" between our elected officials and many special interests (and their lobbyists), but as Norman Ornstein writes in Roll Call today, after the U.S. Surpeme Court Citizens United v. FEC ruling, that isn't even necessary any more.

Now even the threat of voting the "wrong" way can bring on a torrent of independent spending that can crush the reelection hopes of lawmakers in Congress.

From the Roll Call piece:

The Washington Post reports on how many incoming Republicans, despite running anti-Washington D.C. campaigns, are embracing the fundraising culture inside the beltway. And Roll Call has a story on "outsider" Sen.-elect Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and how he's already courting big bucks from the very "insiders" he ran against.   

From the Washington Post story:

Today in Roll Call, 30 former members of Congress placed an ad calling for the current Congress to act boldly by passing the Fair Elections Now Act.

"We former members may disagree about the details of how to fix this problem – but we feel legislation like the Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 1826, S. 752) is a step in the right direction."

For the full ad, click here.