"when money equals speech, elections become auctions" - From: http://www.dylanratigan.com/2011/11/01/bought-justice/
Most succinct way to describe the problem, that I've found anyway.
Snippet:
Consider the key case cited by most experts in West Virginia showing the cost of judicial corruption. Rowland notes:
The CEO of A.T. Massey Coal Co. spent $3 million to elect lawyer Brent Benjamin to the state Supreme Court, while Massey Coal was appealing a $50 million jury award against it. Even after repeated requests from the petitioners, Justice Benjamin refused to recuse himself, instead casting the deciding vote to overturn the $50 million judgment.
