The simple fact is congress has been compromised by the NSA, ergo, the Chicago Machine. There is no other explanation.
I think it was Ross Perot who said “Surely we can find 535 honest men and women to serve in congress.” Whoever said it was wrong. We’ve elected “dirty” candidates who want to stay in their cushiony jobs.
No, there’s another explanation—to wit that the GOP-e has always been like this.