ETHICS HALL OF SHAME
From 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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