According to the federal Publicity law no candidate for member of the
House of Representatives may spend more than $5,000 in his campaign for
nomination or election, and no candidate for United States senator may
spend, legally, more than $10,000 in his campaign. Candidates are
prohibited from making promises of office or other promises in order to
obtain votes, and no candidate for senator may aid in the election of
members of the legislature that is to fill a senatorial vacancy. At the
time, two United States senators were under indictment for the purchase
of their seats, and one of them acknowledged that he had expended nearly
$100,000 in his primary campaign.