Connections in high places, and jobs at risk on the ground. For example, in the UK, during the depths of the last recession, a major investigation into secret

Connections in high places, and jobs at risk on the ground. For example, in the UK, during the depths of the last recession, a major investigation into secret payments by British Aerospace to parties in the middle east was shuttered by the government after threats by KSA to cancel contracts. A high court later ruled that stopping the investigation was illegal, but within 2 weeks the House of Lords (who are not popularly elected) overturned the courts ruling in a unanimous vote based on the "public interest". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Yamamah_arms_deal#Serious_Fraud_Office_investigation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Yamamah_arms_deal#Serious_F...