1.   Even through the final hours of the debate fierce lobbying took place across the Senate.

2.   Increasingly, the lobbying is taking place in the form of sophisticated media campaigns rather than letters and faxes to members of Congress.

3.   On the surface, no direct lobbying of delegates took place.

4.   Such lobbying has taken on special importance this year with several Tony races too close to call.

5.   The lobbying took nearly a decade but concluded in victory.

6.   Today, the shadows are slowly receding, and open American-style political lobbying is taking hold in the corridors of European power.

7.   Prosecutors were trying to determine when the alleged lobbying took place before or since Berlusconi became premier in May, ANSA said.