1.   Both the Commerce Department and Global Crossing said that political contributions did not play a role in deciding which companies were invited.

2.   Administration officials say the contributions played no role in the decisions to permit China to launch U.S. satellites.

3.   Bruno denied that campaign contributions played a role in his decision to push for eliminating the real estate gains tax.

4.   Burton all but accused Babbitt and Clinton of political corruption, saying that Interior Department electronic mail and other documents would prove that campaign contributions did play a role.

5.   John Reiersen, president of Eagle Insurance, the subsidiary of the Robert Plan that absorbed the other companies, said the contributions did not play a role.

6.   Officials from the Giuliani administration and the Giuliani campaign said the contributions had not played any role in the awarding of the contracts to defend the hospitals agency.

7.   What role campaign contributions play in public policy making, however, is debatable, analysts and industry officials say.

8.   In these difficult days, contributions play a very important role.