1.   But Stevens asked La Pierre whether state lawmakers could have reasonably concluded, even without actual evidence, that large donations corrupt politics.

2.   Critics of the rules cite this change as evidence that sizable donations are corrupting the system.

3.   D. Bruce La Pierre of St. Louis argued that the Missouri Legislature had failed to show that large donations corrupt candidates before passing the campaign-finance law.

4.   In its ruling, the appeals court said that Missouri had not proved that larger donations corrupted state elections.

5.   McCain says such unregulated donations are corrupting American politics.

6.   Sen. John McCain tells the big money boys that their campaign donations are corrupting government.

7.   Several justices questioned whether a bad impression was a reason to have limits or whether there had to be some proof that unlimited donations corrupted candidates.

8.   The appeals court also said the state of Missouri had not proven that larger donations corrupted state elections.

9.   The court said lawmakers did not show how unlimited donations had corrupted anyone.

10.   These donations corrupt the system, he says.