If I want a favor (vote) from you and I give you a billion dollars. I can 'say' oh yes you can vote for whoever you want. But one has to be disabled in the head to not see that'll tilt votes.

If the people who were released voted 50% Dem and 50% Republican before jail, certainly more of them will reward their benefactor. Many votes will cancel each other out and he wouldn't have done this if he didn't expect a net gain.