American Politics Ethics Hall of Shame

[UndercoverGator]

An unprecedented wave of corruption, cronyism and special-interest sleaze has gripped our nation’s capital in recent years. To bring greater public attention to the individuals involved in these ethics scandals – in the hope of preventing such abuses of the public trust in the future – Public Citizen has established the Ethics Hall of Shame.

To be included, a member of Congress must have committed illegal acts or engaged in conduct that is highly abusive of the public trust in the service of special interests. Those members of Congress in the "dishonorable mention" category have been involved in activity that is ethically questionable or offensive to the public trust, but which does not rise to the same level of wrongdoing as that of the inductees into the Hall of Shame.

The list of inductees is not complete; it is expected to grow in size and seriousness as Department of Justice investigations into the scandal surrounding admitted felon and former super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff continue to unfold.

To read detailed profiles of the people inducted into the Ethics Hall of Shame, click on the pictures below.

Rep. Tom DeLay


Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) Forced to resign his position as House majority leader; under indictment for money laundering in Texas; likely the focus of a Justice Department investigation for his ties to admitted felon and former super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Rep. Randy Cunningham


Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.)
Pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors and sentanced to 8 years in prison.

Rep. Bob Ney


Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) Resigned as chairman of the House Administration Committee because of allegations that he used his office to help Jack Abramoff and his clients.

Rep. Richard Pombo


Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) Went to bat for a Jack Abramoff client; he short-circuited an investigation into the owner of a failed savings and loan; his aides attempted to scuttle an environmental regulation that could have hurt the Pombo family’s business.

Sen. Conrad Burns


Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) A major recipient of Jack Abramoff’s largess, who went to extraordinary lengths to help an Abramoff client.

Rep. William Jefferson


Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) Involved in an investigation of alleged extortion in a business investment scheme; was found to have stashed large amounts of cash in his freezer

Jack Abramoff


Jack Abramoff, Admitted Felon and Former Super-Lobbyist
The poster child of why systemic reform to the influence-peddling system is so desperately needed in Washington.

Rep. John Doolittle


Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) Passed $37 million in defense contracts to the same man that bribed "Duke" Cunningham, held a fundraiser in one of Abramhoff's skyboxes, and is currently under investigation by the Justice Dept.


Sen. Bill Frist


Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) Under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for possible insider stock trading; he also went to extraordinary lengths to insert a provision into a new law that will insulate drug companies from some defective products lawsuits.

Rep. Roy Blunt


House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Slipped a favor for a major tobacco company into legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security but withdrew it after getting caught.

From Public Citizen's "Clean Up Washington.org"

[WickedHo]

I'm glad to see there's at least one Democrat in the bunch. It confirms my belief that corruption, like justice and love, is blind.

[Delphinium]

I think the amount of corruption is probably about equal on both sides. A politician is, after all, a politician.

[Grimmlok]

Actually no, the Repukes take the cake on corruption my dear.

[Delphinium]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

Actually no, the Repukes take the cake on corruption my dear.

I think it is fair to say that Bill & Hillary had their fair share of corruption. I do not view the world in liberal vs. conservative as you apparently do Grimm. I concede that some Republicans are corrupt, as are some Democrats. I think it is all pretty sleazy in Congress right now.

[Grimmlok]

ROFL, want me to complie a list of who's under investigation? It's 98% repukes.

I do not view the world in liberal vs. conservative as you apparently do Grimm.

That's a laugh riot. It's either wonderful neocons, or evil liberals to you. Oh right, and "anti-americanism" for those who question, and "patriots" for those who shut up and swallow their daily gruel of lies.

[Delphinium]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

ROFL, want me to complie a list of who's under investigation? It's 98% repukes.



That's a laugh riot. It's either wonderful neocons, or evil liberals to you. Oh right, and "anti-americanism" for those who question, and "patriots" for those who shut up and swallow their daily gruel of lies.

you know Grimm, you seem to be a very bitter person. I still wonder why a Canadian is so worked up over another land's politics. It must be hard to live with all that negativity and anger brewing all the time.

[Grimmlok]

Anger is a result of being educated and disgusted by all the things you choose to ignore.

Ignorance really is bliss for some, but I refuse to surrender my intellectual prowess for mind-numbing faux patriotism.

[WickedHo]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

Anger is a result of being educated and disgusted by all the things you choose to ignore.

... and I am far from blissful.

[Sojiita]

This list is unfair! Everyone knows that the best corruption in politics is at the state level: expecially at the level of Governor. Take Ohio Governor Graft..er...Taft for instance. He is a convicted criminal convicted of political misdeeds while in office and had an approval rating of 14%! Makes old George Dubya look downright popular! hehehe..there needs to be a place for Governor (Gr)'T'aft in this listing.

[UndercoverGator]

Originally Posted by Sojiita

This list is unfair! Everyone knows that the best corruption in politics is at the state level: expecially at the level of Governor. Take Ohio Governor Graft..er...Taft for instance. He is a convicted criminal convicted of political misdeeds while in office and had an approval rating of 14%! Makes old George Dubya look downright popular! hehehe..there needs to be a place for Governor (Gr)'T'aft in this listing.

You gotta point. Remember Louisiana's many times elected Democratic Governor "Fast Eddie" Edwin Edwards, known for blowing 3 million of the state's treasury at the casinos in Vegas under the psuedonym of "T Fong" and currently serving a serious federal bit for corruption and laundrying Manuel Norieagas money? In Louisiana we used to have a saying about having the best politicians money could buy and bought they'd been.

Anyone remember Marion "The Bitch Set Me Up" Barry, mayor of DC caught smoking crack cocaine in a hotel with a hoochie momma who went to federal pound me in the ass prison for a few years before returning to run again and win another couple of turns as mayor?

[Sojiita]

Originally Posted by UndercoverGator

You gotta point. Remember Louisiana's many times elected Democratic Governor "Fast Eddie" Edwin Edwards, known for blowing 3 million of the state's treasury at the casinos in Vegas under the psuedonym of "T Fong" and currently serving a serious federal bit for corruption and laundrying Manuel Norieagas money? In Louisiana we used to have a saying about having the best politicians money could buy and bought they'd been.

Anyone remember Marion "The Bitch Set Me Up" Barry, mayor of DC caught smoking crack cocaine in a hotel with a hoochie momma who went to federal pound me in the ass prison for a few years before returning to run again and win another couple of turns as mayor?

The best part about Barry is that HE WAS ELECTED AGAIN!!!! lol!

[WickedHo]

Originally Posted by UndercoverGator

Anyone remember Marion "The Bitch Set Me Up" Barry, mayor of DC caught smoking crack cocaine in a hotel with a hoochie momma who went to federal pound me in the ass prison for a few years before returning to run again and win another couple of turns as mayor?

Yo, I remember that shit! I couldn't believe it then, and I still can't. And nice Office Space reference! It's one of my favorite movies!

[DirtyPool]

Besides Al-not-so-Sharpton and Al Gorlione/ hillary clinton/ ruth-bad-girl-ginsburg, this guy has got to be the biggest joke in modern day politics.

[UndercoverGator]

Originally Posted by DirtyPool

Al Gorlione

Ahahaha! Love it!

I'm not a big support of his but I did meet him and shake his hand at a political function in DC and whoaaaa the man was dead sexy, not at all cold and wooden like the media portrays him.