There are many ways to influence legislators and policymakers: some write letters and call their lawmakers; others organize campaigns to march or campaign. Organized capital -- in the form of businesses and industry -- has the most influence of all. That’s where lobbying comes in.

Lobbyists hold so much influence in Virginia that there's even a term for it in Richmond: a “shadow government” that dominates Virginia policy-making without a single elected official. How does this shadow government work--and why is Virginia so uniquely susceptible to their influence? How important is that influence overall?

This week, we talk to Jeff Schapiro, a political columnist for the Richmond Times-DIspatch, who has covered Virginia's politics and government for over forty years. We also talk with Robert Zullo, founder and editor of the Virginia Mercury, an independent news organization based in Richmond, to learn exactly how lobbyists operate in Virginia--and what their influence means for our state laws.