Interesting find! From a quick look, an analytical separation between economics and politics lurks at the bottom of the argument. In my opinion, I find this is what bothers me with papers that look at lobbying and the wealthy’s effect in Washington: there is a two-stage argument that wealth is achieved (in the economy) and this buys a seat at the table in places of power (government).
This is all from a quick scan, so I could be wrong.
Coincidentally, I was scanning this paper when I came across an article that Bill Gates is now the largest landowner in the United States. Below is the cover photo of The Land Report, a magazine for the “American landowner”.
