votes, they are selling decisions. >> yes. i think the model, the way we always think of the influence market in d.c., is that it's like bribery. that you have these outside interests that are in effect bribing our politicians. and that certainly can take place. i think the bigger problem is more akin to extortion. where the politicians identify wealthy companies or industries and basically mark them for extortion. they introduce pieces of legislation or they threat uncertain things that put those entities in a position to where they have to play ball. >> reporter: one person who knows all about this fully legal form of extortion is the former president of shell oil usa, john hoffmeister. >> i realized that there is a price to participate in the political process. what i never knew was what a huge price it was and how it was an endless process of continuously being hit up for money. >> reporter: in 2008, when oil