My new oped for CNN concludes:

The main reason the Supreme Court has rejected challenges to campaign contribution limits (currently set at $2,500 per election to federal candidates) is that large contributions can create the actuality and appearance of corruption of those candidates. A candidate who receives a large contribution will feel grateful to the contributor, and legislative policy could well skew in the contributor’s direction.

Well what of the six- and seven-figure donors to Super PACs supporting federal candidates? Federal officeholders are likely to feel just as indebted to them. And federal officeholders may do the bidding of other wealthy individuals, corporations and labor unions out of fear that they will support the official’s opponents through a Super PAC in the next election if they don’t.

Given the expected vast spending by presidential candidates and parties in the general election, I am not very concerned that Super PAC spending will influence the outcome of the presidential election, though it might.

I am not even that concerned about Super PAC negative advertising, which can serve to educate the public and mobilize some voters to become more politically engaged.

But I am concerned that Super PAC spending will influence the outcome of close Senate and congressional races. And I am greatly concerned that when Election Day is over and the public will stop hearing about Super PACs, contributions to these groups will skew public policy away from the public interest and toward the interest of the new fat cats of campaign finance, as members of the House and Senate thank their friends and look over their shoulder at potential new enemies.