Scandal and Corruption in Congress

by Michael J. Pomante II (Editor)

Overview

Regardless of which political party Americans identify with, the sentiment that those who work in Washington are corrupt transcends partisanship. Since the breaking of the Watergate scandal, trust in the government has decreased significantly. While Congress did not engage in the Watergate break-in, the institution has still suffered the consequences, seeing citizens' distrust of politicians grow. However, Congress is not blameless, as it has had its share of scandal and corruption over the years.

Scandal and Corruption in Congress guides readers through the history of corruption in Congress. Specifically, readers explore policies outlawing corruption, how Congress has attempted to hide unethical behaviour, getting caught, the repercussions of getting caught, and how corruption in the U.S. compares to corruption in other nations. Finally, to enlighten readers about the recent actions by Congress, several chapters address the impact of Citizens United and the #MeToo movement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781801171205
Publisher:	Emerald Publishing Limited
Publication date:	11/07/2022
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

Michael J. Pomante II is an assistant professor of political science at Jacksonville University. He obtained his Ph.D. in political science at Northern Illinois Universityin 2016. Michael has published research in American Politics Research and Election Law Journal. In 2020 he published the Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Congress. His co-authored text, the Historical Dictionary of the Barack Obama Administration, was awarded a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2018.

Table of Contents

Introduction; Michael J. Pomante II
Part I: Thoughts On And Action Against Corruption
Chapter 1. Corruption and Congressional Design: the Federalist’s Dual Fear of the Abuse of Power and Abuse Of Liberty; Katherine Hoss and Lewis Hoss
Chapter 2. Congressional Corruption and Reform Efforts: a Tale of Two Efforts Gone Awry; Kaylar Recker
Part II: Preventing Punishment: Skirting Unethical Behavior
Chapter 3. Super Legal Corruption: Political Money in the Era of Super Pacs; Joseph N. Patten
Chapter 4. When Metoo Met Congress; Jill Dunlap
Part III: Getting Caught
Chapter 5. Congressional Corruption by the Numbers; April K. Clark and Kaylar Recker
Chapter 6. Follow the Money: Modern Cases of Congressional Corruption; Scott J. Basinger
Part IV: Punishment And Repercussions
Chapter 7. Bosses Behaving Badly: Congressional Scandals and Office Staff; Collin Paschall and Casey Burgat
Chapter 8. If They Do the “Crime,” Will They Do the “Time?”: Punishment of Misconduct by Congress; Michael J. Pomante II
Part V: Scandal And Corruption: How Voters React
Chapter 9. Sex and Corruption in Congress: How the Nature of the Scandal Shapes Backlash from Voters; Gregory W. Saxton and Tiffany D. Barnes
Chapter 10. Federal Political Scandals and Public Officials’ Careers; Emily Bacchus, Tiffany D.Barnes, and Audrey Baricovich
Part VI: Contrasting Corruption
Chapter 11. Corruption in Comparison: Clientelism, Nepotism, and Electoral Engineering in Southeast Asian Politics; Nicole Loring
Chapter 12. Measuring Corruption in Europe and the USA: Towards an Integrated Approach?; David Jesuit