Pay to play in healthcare reform

"In a stunning moment during the Senate Finance Committee markup Sen. Tom Carper defended a secret deal that the White House, Baucus, and PhRMA had reached. The White House has long denied the deal. Carper publicly acknowledges that part of the deal was that PhRMA would run millions of dollars worth of campaign ads in support of health care reform."

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/09/23/carper-public-defends-secret-phrma-deal-in-exchange-for-support-ads/

Again, the administration cut a back room deal with the pharmaceutical industry - - protection and breaks for the drug companies in any healthcare reform bill in exchange for $150+ million in campaign ads in support of the "reform" proposals and vulnerable incumbents.

Isn't that illegal?