The politician's current problems are a result of untenable advice fro

let's understand the meaning first:
the politician's problems are a result of:
1. untenable advise from counsellors;
2. misinformation given during campaigning;
3. organizational issues.
further, we have a modifier describing what kind of issues:
issues that a number of attempts to amend the party's H structured have failed to resolve.

a. so that a considerable number of attempts to amend the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve it
what does IT refer to? number? hierarchical structure? so that - doesn't look good. we need that instead.

b. so that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them
them - refers to issues, but somehow it is strange to say issues that smth attempted to solve issues.
so that - again not good. attempts at - incorrect idiom.

c. in that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them
in that - doesn't look good. attempts at - should be attempts to - correct idiom. them - again.

d. that a considerable number of attempts to amend the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve
that - ok
attempts to amend - ok
issues that smth failed to resolve - looks good.

e. that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them
attempts at - incorrect.
them - as described above.

so that a considerable number of attempts to amend the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve it -- It cannot refer to problems.
b. so that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them --
c. in that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them
d. that a considerable number of attempts to amend the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve
e. that a considerable number of attempts at amending the party's hierarchical structure have failed to resolve them[/quote]

IMO: D

Why is "that" preferred over "so that"?

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