Fifty-nine percent (59%) of American adults believe that when members of Congress meet with regulators and other government officials, they do so to help their friends and hurt their political opponents. In a solid display of agreement across party lines, a majority of Democrats, Republicans and those unaffiliated with either major party share this view.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 19% disagree and believe that their elected officials try to achieve a fair result in such meetings. Twenty-two percent (22%) of adults are not sure.

Government employees are more likely than others to think that members of Congress meet with government officials to help friends and hurt opponents. Seventy-four percent (74%) of those on the public payroll hold that view, while only 10% believe the legislators meet to get a fair results.

But then most voters think that congressmen from both major political parties are acting in a far more partisan manner these days than President Obama.

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In a related finding, 60% of Americans say most politicians will break the rules to help people who gave them large campaign contributions. Just 19% say most politicians would refrain from breaking the law. This comes on top of earlier polling data showing that just 15% believe most members of Congress pay all the taxes they owe.

Most adults (55%) believe that all meetings between members of Congress and regulators or other government officials should be disclosed. Another 29% believe that such meetings should be prohibited entirely. Just five percent (5%) say that such meetings should neither be prohibited nor disclosed, and 12% are not sure. Again, there is wide agreement across party lines.

There also are few differences on any of these questions between young and old, men and women, people with different income levels, and across racial and ethnic lines.

Just 12% of voters say Congress is doing a good or excellent job, and 54% rate their performance as poor in a Rasmussen Reports survey released last week. This is drop of two points in the positive column and a jump of seven in the poor category compared to two weeks ago, which marked Congress’ highest marks in a year.

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