>Is this whole category of law a place where the DoJ has intercepted enough sketchy conversations that they've got leverage against key Senators and Reps?

That's all I can think of too after reading Daniel Suarez' "Influx." With the resources and information at their disposal I would not put it past them to take this approach.

That raises the question of how we can change the system if we have to assume some sort of blackmail like that might be taking place. Is there a workaround?