ETHICS HALL OF SHAMEFrom publiccitizen.org
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 here to go to original article and click on each of their pictures.
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.
Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.)
Pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.
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 (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 (R-Mont.) A major recipient of Jack Abramoff’s largess, who went to extraordinary lengths to help an Abramoff client.
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, Admitted Felon and Former Super-Lobbyist
The poster child of why systemic reform to the influence-peddling system is so desperately needed in Washington.
DISHONORABLE MENTION:
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.
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.
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