Lobbying <> bribery.

There's a difference between buying a politician diner and talking to them and writing a big fat check.

In theory that's right. But in practice the line that divides them is somewhat blurry.

Lobbyists was supposed to be experts in the field of whatever subject they are helping the politicians with. In practice they are experts in lobbying, nothing else. The salary comes from a company that has a certain interest and pays the lobbying organisation to get this result through the politicians. The bribery is not actually exchanging with the politician, it's with the lobying organisation. Bribery would have been more understanding, here it's just a question of stupidity sadly. The lobbying groups are confusedly just taking the money and wondering why it's so easy. There are a few documentaries on this subject and all the lobbyists are talking openly about what they do. The politicians not so.

Actually, it's conflicting interests either way.