Does that private equity lobby state & local governments to use these machines?
Probably.
Probably.
Can you explain what you mean? I've never heard that expression before and it's.. confusing.
For example, if I were running for a relatively high office that took a lot of funds to compete, I'd openly take funds from any legal source. And that might make me more inclined to meet with those organizations over given issues. However, it would be up to me to decide what is best for my constituents in my votes/actions over specific things.
We talk all day about corruption of the money/companies, but way too little voting out all the congress-critters that should not return. More people need to start voting against incumbents regardless of party to stir the pot and get some new blood into things.
It's a feature, not a bug...applied empirically to the modern electoral mechanism.