What Staff Do to Make Hearings Happen?

Congressional hearings don't occur naturally, they rely heavily upon congressional staff. Staff relationships and really the informal norms of committees are hugely important in deciding what kinds of witnesses can come to testify. And lastly I would highlight that my book talks about how lobbyists are involved in this process so it's staff expertise at least in part that also is instrumental in either forming kind of the soft underbelly that exposes the process to infiltration by lobbyists or in bolstering the committee process against this.