The claim
Access can create an opportunity to be heard, but access alone does not prove that a specific outcome was purchased or controlled.
The evidence
Start with dated records: disclosures, calendars, testimony, public comments, contracts, agency documents, and the decision itself.
The missing link
The missing link is usually the causal bridge: which input changed which decision, through what mechanism, and compared with what alternatives?
The verdict
Treat the record as a map of opportunity first. Move toward a stronger conclusion only when independent evidence closes the causal gap.