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“Louisiana Purchased” is the most comprehensive look at the big business of campaign financing in the history of Louisiana. The series - a first of its kind collaboration between WVUE and NOLA.com/The Times Picayune - used the investigative teams' collective resources to pull back the curtain on a labyrinthine system hidden within millions of pieces of data. “Louisiana Purchased” highlighted illegal activities, questionable practices, and toothless ethics enforcement. The investigative team uncovered that over the course of four years (2009-2012) nearly $204 million poured into the campaigns of Louisiana's state and local candidates. One-third of the $204 million donated was financed by less than one percent of the donors, .3 percent to be exact. Those donors made up an elite “Top 400” campaign contributor that subsequently became the driving force behind much of “Louisiana Purchased”. From that list, the team uncovered patterns that showed high dollar donors with choice board appointments, lavish campaign spending and politicians collecting more money than the law allowed. As a result, lawmakers admitted they broke the law and paid back the money and according to the state treasurer, ethics enforcement will get more financial backing as a direct result of our stories.