(copy and pasted from another comment)
If you want a narrow target, you can blame the GOP activists on the US Supreme Court, or if you want to go beyond that, blame the GOP senators/presidents who appointed them, the Federalist Society, the GOP donor base, GOP-aligned media organizations, etc.
Gutting campaign finance restrictions was a vast judicial overreach, performed for partisan advantage and the benefit of corrupt wealthy patrons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_for_Tax_Reform#Oppos...
It’s undoubtedly true that some US politicians have gotten bribes, defrauded partners or constituents, embezzled money from their campaigns or the government, used inside information to trade stocks, etc. But even if all of those were impossible, the nature of the US campaign finance system would create plenty of perverse incentives.
Sure, but it's not like they don't have a choice. Regardless of any incentives, they're the only ones actually empowered to make these decisions. Lobbying, offers of bribes, campaign financing promises, etc. do not in any sense detract from their ability and responsibility to make the right choices.
You can’t un-screw a system by just telling the people inside who were selected for their mendacity and corruption to “make the right choices”.