That would be true in some cases (though, frankly, almost everything about professional politics could be considered fraudulent in the corporate world and that'

That would be true in some cases (though, frankly, almost everything about professional politics could be considered fraudulent in the corporate world and that's one reason why I left the business) but not here. I was a media and strategy consultant, which means that - other than helping campaigns figure out what to do - my primary job was to spend other people's money in support of a candidate or issue. There are a lot of nuances here (coordinated vs. independent expenditures, state vs. federal laws, etc.), but broadly it's not the candidate's money to do with as they please. Donors typically give that cash with the implicit understanding that we'll deploy it more effectively and dispassionately (and, admittedly, with fewer restrictions) than a campaign would. They still need to maintain a good relationship with the candidate, though, which is where things like targeted ad buys with the intent of "managing up" come in.