“If you hold a tiger by the tail, you have a difficult choice to make: Do you let go or not? It’s not a good thing to alienate any legislative leader.”

—Richard Runes, lobbyist for Glenwood Management, a large New York state real estate developer that allegedly gave tax work to a law firm that then made undisclosed payments to the state's Assembly Speaker, who had allegedly recommended the law firm. The quote refers to continuing the use of this law firm, knowing that if it came out, it could mean trouble; but if they canceled the arrangement, it could also mean trouble. Runes said he felt uncomfortable with the arrangement from the start. Yes, lobbyists are often uncomfortable with illegal arrangements.

From an article in today's New York Times.