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| biggest scandals in us history: The Teapot Dome Scandal Laton McCartney, 2009-01-13 In this amazing and at times ribald story, Laton McCartney tells how Big Oil handpicked Warren G. Harding, an obscure Ohio senator, to serve as our twenty-third president. Harding and his “oil cabinet” made it possible for cronies to secure vast fuel reserves that had been set aside for use by the U.S. Navy. In exchange, the oilmen paid off senior government officials, bribed newspaper publishers, and covered the GOP campaign debt. When news of the scandal finally emerged, the consequences were disastrous. Drawing on contemporary records newly made available to McCartney, The Teapot Dome Scandal reveals a shocking, revelatory picture of just how far-reaching the affair was, how high the stakes, and how powerful the conspirators–all told in a dazzling narrative style. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Inside Stories of Modern Political Scandals Woody Klein, 2010-09-07 This book examines ten major political scandals involving the White House in the past 50 years, revealing how the investigative reporters behind the stories uncovered the hidden truths. On numerous occasions, the dogged efforts of investigative journalists have led to a dissemination of information that had a direct effect on the course of American history—the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Watergate scandal, Monicagate of the Clinton administration, and the Enron accounting scandal. The Inside Stories of Modern Political Scandals: How Investigative Reporters Have Changed the Course of American History features in-depth interviews with all living journalists responsible for revealing major political scandals involving the White House, including Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the reporters responsible for bringing the Watergate scandal to the light of day. The author presents a fascinating view into the story behind the story regarding the ten most momentous, modern-day political scandals in America. Containing both anecdotes from the investigative reporters involved and specific examples from published articles, this text reveals the specific methods used by these award-winning journalists to successfully pursue their stories and earn their titles as watchdogs of our government, our military, and big business. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Gilded Age Mark Twain, Charles Dudley Warner, 1904 |
| biggest scandals in us history: Watergate Keith W. Olson, 2016-08-12 A new afterword by Max Holland details developments since the original 2003 publication, including the revelation of Mark Felt as the infamous “Deep Throat,” the media’s role in the scandal, both during and afterwards, including Bob Woodward’s Second Man. Arguably the greatest political scandal of twentieth-century America, the Watergate affair rocked an already divided nation to its very core, severely challenged our cherished notions about democracy, and further eroded public trust in its political leaders. The 1972 break-in at Democratic National Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel--by five men acting under the direction of a Republican president's closest aides and his staff--created a constitutional crisis second only to the Civil War and ultimately toppled the Nixon presidency. With its sordid trail of illegal wiretapping, illicit fundraising, orchestrated cover-up, and destruction of evidence, it was the scandal that made every subsequent national political scandal a gate as well. A disturbing tale made famous by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in All the President's Men, the Watergate scandal has been extensively dissected and vigorously debated. Keith Olson, however, offers for the first time a layman's guide to Watergate, a concise and readable one-volume history that highlights the key actors, events, and implications in this dark drama. John Dean, John Ehrlichman, H. R. Haldeman, G. Gordon Liddy, John Mitchell, Judge John Sirica, Senator Sam Ervin, Archibald Cox, and the ghostly Deep Throat reappear here--in a volume designed especially for a new generation of readers who know of Watergate only by name and for teachers looking for a straightforward summary for the classroom. Olson first recaps the events and attitudes that precipitated the break-in itself. He then analyzes the unmasking of the cover-up from both the president's and the public's perspective, showing how the skepticism of politicians and media alike gradually intensified into a full-blown challenge to Nixon's increasingly suspicious actions and explanations. Olson fully documents for the first time the key role played by Republicans in this unmasking, putting to rest charges that the liberal establishment drove Nixon from the White House. He also chronicles the snowballing public outcry (even among Nixon's supporters) for the president's removal. In a remarkable display of nonpartisan unity, leading public and private voices in Congress and the media demanded the president's resignation or impeachment. In a final chapter, Olson explores the Cold War contexts that encouraged an American president to convince himself that the pursuit of national security trumped even the Constitution. As America approaches the thirtieth anniversary of the infamous Watergate hearings and the overreach of presidential power is again at issue, Olson's book offers a quick course on the scandal itself, a sobering reminder of the dangers of presidential arrogance, and a tribute to the ultimate triumph of government by the people. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Plot Against the President Lee Smith, 2019-10-29 Investigative journalist Lee Smith uses his unprecedented access to Congressman Devin Nunes, former head of the House Intelligence Committee, to expose the deep state operation against the president -- and the American people. Investigative journalist Lee Smith's The Plot Against the Presidenttells the story of how Congressman Devin Nunes uncovered the operation to bring down the commander-in-chief. While popular opinion holds that Russia subverted democratic processes during the 2016 elections, the real damage was done not by Moscow or any other foreign actor. Rather, this was a slow-moving coup engineered by a coterie of the American elite, the deep state, targeting not only the president, but also the rest of the country. The plot officially began July 31, 2016 with the counterintelligence investigation that the FBI opened to probe Russian infiltration of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. But the bureau never followed any Russians. In fact, it was an operation to sabotage Trump, the candidate, then president-elect, and finally the presidency. The conspirators included political operatives, law enforcement and intelligence officials, and the press. The plot was uncovered by Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his investigative team. They understood that the target of the operation wasn't just Trump, but rather the institutions that sustain our republic. A country where operatives use the intelligence and security services to protect their privileges by spying on Americans, coordinating with the press, and using extra-constitutional means to undermine an election then undo a presidency is more like the third world than the republic envisioned by the founding fathers. Without Nunes and his team, the plot against the president -- and against the country -- never would have been revealed. Told from the perspective of Nunes and his crack investigators -- men and women who banded together to do the right thing at a crucial moment for our democracy -- the story of the biggest political scandal in a generation reads like a great detective novel, feels like a classic cowboy movie. The congressman from the cattle capital of California really did fight corruption in Washington. Devin Nunes took on the deep state. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Hidden History of Kentucky Political Scandals Robert Schrage and John Schaaf, 2020 At various points in history, Kentucky's politics and government have been rocked by scandal, and each episode defined the era in which it happened. In 1826, Governor Desha pardoned his own son for murder. In a horrific crime, Governor Goebel was assassinated in 1900. James Wilkinson was branded a traitor against Kentucky and the nation. Honest Dick Tate ran away with massive amounts of money from the state treasury. In modern times, Operation BOPTROT resulted in perhaps the biggest scandal in the state. Authors Robert Schrage and John Schaaf offer a fascinating account of Kentucky's history and its many unique and scandalous characters. -- Page 4 of cover. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Institutional Effects of Executive Scandals Brandon Rottinghaus, 2015-04-30 This book investigates the role of executive scandals in the contemporary American political landscape. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Scandal Suzanne Garment, 1992 A widely respected authority on national politics explores the world of post-Watergate Washington and provides the essential details to understand how government has become paralyzed by endless hearings and investigations. Updated to include new material on Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, and Bill Clinton. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Religious Scandals Judith M. Buddenbaum, 2009-09-03 This volume looks at headline-grabbing scandals involving American religious figures from the 19th century to the present, showing how the media and society in general reacted to these controversies. Religious Scandals brings together real-life controversies involving men and women of faith, from the media frenzy over the 1811 New York blasphemy case of People v. Ruggles that shaped American law for well over 100 years to the 2008 government raid on the fundamentalist Mormon Yearning for Zion community in Texas. Religious Scandals focuses on two types of subjects: religious figures whose lapses put them at the center of scandals involving sex, money, or crime; and those who scandalized their fellow citizens by acting out according to their own religious beliefs. Together, these stories—some familiar, some little known—offer a fascinating portrait of American religious culture, as well insights into the role of the media in religious scandals, constitutional protections of religious freedom, and the overriding issue of public curiosity versus individual privacy. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Bad Times for Good Ol' Boys Harry Holloway, Frank S. Meyers, 1993 By the time federal prosecutors announced an end to their investigation of Oklahoma local government in the early 1980s, more than 200 people had been convicted in 60 counties. Most were county commissioners who had been taking kickbacks paid by suppliers on orders for county road-building supplies. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Political Corruption and Scandals in Japan Matthew M. Carlson, Steven R. Reed, 2018-03-15 Combining history with comparative politics, Matthew M. Carlson and Steven R. Reed take on political corruption and scandals, and the reforms designed to counter them, in post–World War II Japan. Political Corruption and Scandals in Japan makes sense of the scandals that have plagued Japanese politics for more than half a century and attempts to show how reforms have evolved to counter the problems. What causes political corruption to become more or less serious over time? they ask. The authors examine major political corruption scandals beginning with the early postwar period until the present day as one way to make sense of how the nature of corruption changes over time. They also consider bureaucratic corruption and scandals, violations of electoral law, sex scandals, and campaign finance regulations and scandals. In the end, Carlson and Reed write, though Japanese politics still experiences periodic scandals, the political reforms of 1994 have significantly reduced the levels of political corruption. The basic message is that reform can reduce corruption. The causes and consequences of political corruption in Japan, they suggest, are much like those in other consolidated democracies. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Scandals of the Civil War Douglas Lee Gibboney, 2005 The lowdown and dirty on the Blue and the Gray, Scandals of the Civil War offers a rollicking, behind-the-scenes look at the bad behavior, off-duty antics and sexual shenanigans of soldiers from the North and the South, including stories of deadly duels, heavy-duty drinking, and outrageous escapades. |
| biggest scandals in us history: America's Political Scandals in the Late 1800's Corona Brezina, 2003-12-15 Examines the actions of Boss Tweed, the powerful, influential, and corrupt public works commissioner for New York City from 1863-1871, and of the political organization that he and his associates controlled. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The World's Greatest Royal Scandals Nigel Cawthorne, 1999 Part of a series of books which examines real-life stories that have made newspaper headlines around the world, this looks at royal scandles. Other titles available include The World's Greatest Blunders and The World's Greatest Cults. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Affairs of Honor Joanne B. Freeman, 2002-01-01 Offering a reassessment of the tumultuous culture of politics on the national stage during America's early years, when Jefferson, Burr, and Hamilton were among the national leaders, Freeman shows how the rituals and rhetoric of honor provides ground rules for political combat. Illustrations. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Bringing Down A President Elizabeth Levy, Andrea Balis, 2019-08-06 A middle-grade retelling of Richard Nixon's downfall, Bringing Down A President: The Watergate Scandal is an inventive and timely look at one of the biggest scandals to ever rock our nation by Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy, featuring graphic novel style illustrations by Tim Foley. Comprised almost completely of primary source quotes (good thing Nixon's recorder was on) and interspersed with contextual narrative, this captivating account of the trials and tribulations of the Nixon Administration has been rendered screenplay style offering an extraordinarily immediate narrative of one of America's most turbulent eras. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Barometer of Fear Alexis Stenfors, 2017-05-15 The LIBOR affair has been described as the ‘biggest banking scandal in history’, a deception affecting not only banks but also corporations, pension funds and ordinary people. But was this just the tip of the iceberg? Was the scandal the work of a few ‘bad apples’ or an inevitable result of a financial system rotten to its core? Labelled ‘one of the world's most infamous rogue traders’ in the wake of a mis-marking scandal, Alexis Stenfors went on to rebuild his life and now guides us through the shadowy world of modern banking, providing an insider’s account of the secret practices – including the manipulation of foreign exchange rates – which have allowed banks to profit from systematic deception. Containing remarkable and often shocking insights derived from his own experiences in the dealing room, as well as his spectacular fall from grace at Merrill Lynch, Barometer of Fear draws back the curtain to a realm that for too long has remained hidden from public view. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Unacceptable Melissa Korn, Jennifer Levitz, 2020-07-21 FORBES TOP 10 HIGHER EDUCATION BOOKS OF 2020 The riveting true story behind the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, a cautionary tale of parenting gone wrong, the system that enabled families to veer so far off course, and the mastermind who made it all happen. When federal prosecutors dropped the bombshell of Operation Varsity Blues, it broke open the crimes of exclusive universities and wealthy families all over the country, shattering the myth of American meritocracy. In Unacceptable, veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz dig deep into how otherwise smart, loving parents became caught up in scandal, led through the side door by one man: college whisperer Rick Singer. Unacceptable traces how, over decades, the charismatic Singer easily reeled in parents hoping to guarantee top educations for their children, and exploited a system rigged against regular people. Exploring the status obsession that seduced entitled parents in search of an edge, Korn and Levitz unfurl a scheme that entangled more than fifty conspirators, from wealthy CEOs to famous actresses, leading to imprisonments, ruined careers, and terminated enrollments. An eye-opening account of corruption in America’s most exclusive institutions, Unacceptable tells the story of helicopter parenting, coddled teens, and the man who thought he couldn’t be caught. Detailing Singer’s steady rise and dramatic fall, Korn and Levitz expose the ugly underbelly of elite college admissions, and the devastating consequences of buying success. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Art of Her Deal Mary Jordan, 2021-05-04 In this “scrupulously reported biography” (NPR) Jordan documents how Melania Trump had discussing being First Lady nearly two decades before she landed in the White House and how she encouraged her husband to enter the race for president. Based on interviews with more than one hundred people in five countries, The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump is “an extraordinary work” (Salon) that draws an unprecedented portrait of the first lady. We see that behind the scenes Melania Trump is not only part of President Trump’s inner circle, but for some key decisions she has been his single most influential advisor. Jordan interviewed key people in Melania's close circle who speak publicly for the first time and uncovered never-before-seen photos and tapes of the tall woman with “tiger eyes,” as a judge in an early modeling contest said. The Art of Her Deal shows Melania’s ascent from a modest life, tracing her journey from childhood under a communist dictator to her complicated relationship with Donald Trump. The picture that emerges is “that the first lady is not a pawn but a player... and a woman able to get what she wants from one of the most powerful and transparently vain men in the world” (NPR). And while it is her husband who became famous for the phrase “the art of the deal,” this is the story of the art of her deal. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Nixon and Kissinger Robert Dallek, 2009-10-13 The renowned scholar’s epic dual biography of the 37th president and his powerful secretary of state: “A classic work of contemporary American history” (The Los Angeles Times). Working side by side in the White House, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger were two of the most compelling, contradictory, and powerful figures in the second half of the twentieth century. While their personalities could hardly have seemed more different, both were largely self-made men, brimming with ambition, driven by their own inner demons, and often ruthless in pursuit of their goals. Tapping into a wealth of recently declassified archives, Robert Dallek uncovers fascinating details about Nixon and Kissinger’s tumultuous personal relationship and brilliantly analyzes their shared roles in monumental historical events—including the nightmare of Vietnam, the unprecedented opening to China, détente with the Soviet Union, the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East, the disastrous overthrow of Allende in Chile, and the scandal of Watergate. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Scandal Anna Clark, 2013-10-31 Are sex scandals simply trivial distractions from serious issues or can they help democratize politics? In 1820, George IV's royal gambols with his mistresses endangered the Old Oak of the constitution. When he tried to divorce Queen Caroline for adultery, the resulting scandal enabled activists to overcome state censorship and revitalize reform. Looking at six major British scandals between 1763 and 1820, this book demonstrates that scandals brought people into politics because they evoked familiar stories of sex and betrayal. In vibrant prose woven with vivid character sketches and illustrations, Anna Clark explains that activists used these stories to illustrate constitutional issues concerning the Crown, Parliament, and public opinion. Clark argues that sex scandals grew out of the tension between aristocratic patronage and efficiency in government. For instance, in 1809 Mary Ann Clarke testified that she took bribes to persuade her royal lover, the army's commander-in-chief, to promote officers, buy government offices, and sway votes. Could women overcome scandals to participate in politics? This book also explains the real reason why the glamorous Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, became so controversial for campaigning in a 1784 election. Sex scandal also discredited Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the first feminists, after her death. Why do some scandals change politics while others fizzle? Edmund Burke tried to stir up scandal about the British empire in India, but his lurid, sexual language led many to think he was insane. A unique blend of the history of sexuality and women's history with political and constitutional history, Scandal opens a revealing new window onto some of the greatest sex scandals of the past. In doing so, it allows us to more fully appreciate the sometimes shocking ways democracy has become what it is today. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Little Quiz Book of Big Political Sex Scandals Paul Slansky, 2009-05-19 Politics and sex. Nothing captures the attention of the media -- and satisfies the public's thirst for schadenfreude -- quite like our elected officials getting caught with their pants down. In The Little Quiz Book of Big Political Sex Scandals, renowned satirist and New York Times bestselling author Paul Slansky provides a guided tour of this torrid realm of public life. Through a comprehensive compendium of quizzes, incorporating his trademark Q&A format, Slansky chronicles the political sex-scapades of the past half century -- Bill's cigar and Monica's stained dress, Gary Hart's cruise on the good ship Monkey Business, Larry Craig's restroom romancing, and scores of other career-ending shenanigans. Devastatingly funny yet also meticulously researched and historically relevant, this irreplaceable guide to the headline-grabbing events, the reluctant apologies, and the inevitable consequences -- and, of course, the anguished spouses standing by their men -- offers an endlessly entertaining peek under the covers of our political establishment. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Republic for which it Stands Richard White, 2017 The newest volume in the Oxford History of the United States series, The Republic for Which It Stands argues that the Gilded Age, along with Reconstruction--its conflicts, rapid and disorienting change, hopes and fears--formed the template of American modernity. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Watchdog Darrell Issa, 2016-07-12 You might think you had a front-row seat to the shocking scandals of Benghazi, the IRS targeting of conservatives, Fast & Furious, illegal email servers, mishandling America's secrets and cover-ups at the EPA. The rest of the story, told here for the first time, is even more troubling. In Watchdog, Congressman Darrell Issa reveals some of the worst of Washington, pulls back the curtain on business as usual in the Capitol, and lets in the sunshine of accountability. As Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Issa led a years-long fight to uncover what was really happening in the Obama Administration and Hillary Clinton's State Department, while taking on a mainstream media and establishment Beltway culture he quickly found out weren't always interested in the truth. But what the public doesn't know about Big Government and what the people may not realize is happening to their country requires someone in Washington willing to tell the truth no matter who gets the blame. Carrying out aggressive oversight brought Issa into conflict with not only political foes, but friends and allies as well. Through it all, he has sought to remind everyone in government they are still subject to the rule of law and accountable to the American people. Watchdog is the inside account of what it took to get the truth and what it will take for our democracy to endure. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Iran-Contra Malcolm Byrne, 2017-09-11 Everything began to unravel on October 5, 1986, when a Nicaraguan soldier downed an American plane carrying arms to “Contra” guerrillas, exposing a tightly held U.S. clandestine program. A month later, reports surfaced that Washington had been covertly selling arms to Iran (our sworn enemy and a state sponsor of terrorism), in exchange for help freeing hostages in Beirut. The profits, it turned out, were going to support the Contras, despite an explicit ban by Congress. In the firestorm that erupted, shocking details emerged, raising the prospect of impeachment, and the American public confronted a scandal as momentous as it was confusing. At its center was President Ronald Reagan amid a swirl of questions about illegal wars, consorting with terrorists, and the abuse of presidential power. Yet, despite the enormity of the issues, the affair dropped from the public radar due to media overkill, years of legal wrangling, and a vigorous campaign to forestall another Watergate. As a result, many Americans failed to grasp the scandal’s full import. Through exhaustive use of declassified documents, previously unavailable investigative materials, and wide-ranging interviews, Malcolm Byrne revisits this largely forgotten and misrepresented episode. Placing the events in their historical and political context (notably the Cold War and a sharp partisan domestic divide), he explores what made the affair possible and meticulously relates how it unfolded—including clarifying minor myths about cakes, keys, bibles, diversion memos, and shredding parties. Iran-Contra demonstrates that, far from being a “junta” against the president, the affair could not have occurred without awareness and approval at the very top of the U.S. government. Byrne reveals an unmistakable pattern of dubious behavior—including potentially illegal conduct by the president, vice president, the secretaries of state and defense, the CIA director and others—that formed the true core of the scandal. Given the lack of meaningful consequences for those involved, the volume raises critical questions about the ability of our current system of checks and balances to address presidential abuses of power, and about the possibility of similar outbreaks in the future. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Reynolds Pamphlet Alexander Hamilton, 2021-05-11 The Reynolds Pamphlet (1797) is an essay by Alexander Hamilton. Written while Hamilton was serving as Secretary of the Treasury, the Pamphlet was intended as a defense against accusations that Hamilton had conspired with James Reynolds to misuse funds meant to cover unpaid wages to Revolutionary War veterans. Admitting to an affair with Maria, Reynolds’ wife, Hamilton claims that the accusation is nothing more than an attempt at blackmail. This revelation not only endangered Hamilton’s career as a public figure, but constituted perhaps the earliest sex scandal in American history. “The bare perusal of the letters from Reynolds and his wife is sufficient to convince my greatest enemy that there is nothing worse in the affair than an irregular and indelicate amour. For this, I bow to the just censure which it merits. I have paid pretty severely for the folly and can never recollect it without disgust and self condemnation. It might seem affectation to say more.” Accused of corruption in his role as Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton was forced to confess his adultery, bringing shame to himself as a married man and supposedly honorable public figure, yet saving his political career in the process. Looking back on his affair with Maria Reynolds from a distance of five years, Hamilton expresses regret for his foolishness, yet wholeheartedly denies her husband’s accusation that he had been involved in his scheme to misuse government funds. Perhaps the first sex scandal in American history, the Reynolds affair sent shockwaves throughout the burgeoning republic, leaving many to question the motives and character of their leaders for the first time, though certainly not the last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alexander Hamilton’s Reynolds Pamphlet is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann, 2018-04-03 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A twisting, haunting true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history, from the author of The Wager and The Lost City of Z, “one of the preeminent adventure and true-crime writers working today.—New York Magazine • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • NOW A MARTIN SCORSESE PICTURE “A shocking whodunit…What more could fans of true-crime thrillers ask?”—USA Today “A masterful work of literary journalism crafted with the urgency of a mystery.” —The Boston Globe In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history. Look for David Grann’s latest bestselling book, The Wager! |
| biggest scandals in us history: Stealing from America Nathan Miller, 1996 Insider trading, pork-barrel projects, and corrupt politicians may all sound contemporary, but, as Nathan Miller shows in this romp through the underbelly of history, larceny and greed crossed the ocean with smallpox, prospered in the New World, and have become the bedrock of American politics. In colonial New York and Charleston, governors extended open hands to pirates that were gladly filled in exchange for a safe haven to unload booty. The Revolutionary War was fought by ill-equipped and hungry soldiers freezing on battlefields like Valley Forge while merchants and speculators sat down to sumptuous 169-dish dinners in Philadelphia, their warehouses full of supplies they sold at 2,000 percent markups. Even George Washington amassed one of the largest fortunes in America through highly dubious land speculation practices. This thievery continued through the nineteenth century with land swindles and railroad giveaways that ripped off both Native Americans and settlers; with the great robber barons, men like Cornelius Vanderbilt who made nine million during the Civil War outfitting completely unseaworthy vessels for huge profits; and with New York's Boss Tweed and his Forty Thieves. Casting his seasoned eye over this century's boondoggles, Nathan Miller uncovers the scams of Harding and the Teapot Dome in the twenties, the New Deal, World War II, and the Cold War. With Iran-Contra, HUD, and the Savings and Loan debacle in tow, the Reagan-Bush legacy follows in grand tradition. It promises to be remembered as one of the greatest eras of free-for-all plunder of the nation's coffers and threatens to put to shame, in terms of dollars pocketed, the money-grabbing greed of its illustrious predecessors. Stealing from America shows that greed, more so than notions of democracy and freedom, has been the fuel on which the engine of American government runs.--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
| biggest scandals in us history: The President's Daughter Nan Britton, 1927 If love is the only right warrant for bringing children into the world then many children born in wedlock are illegitimate and many born out of wedlock are legitimate. So contends Nan Britton in this account of Elizabeth Ann, her daughter by Warren G. Harding. |
| biggest scandals in us history: HUD Scandals Irving Welfeld, 2017-07-05 Mention the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the word scandal comes to mind. When it comes to recent history, the association is quite accurate; in 1989-90 congressional panels were investigating -abuses, favoritism, and mismanagement- at HUD; in 1954 HUD's predecessor, the Federal Housing Administration, was targeted by the FBI for involvement in fraudulent home-improvement schemes; in the 1970s HUD was scrutinized for lax lending standards, blatant overappraisals, and shoddy housing. In this ground-breaking volume, Irving Welfeld, a senior analyst with HUD, describes and explains these sensational episodes as well as a series of hidden blunders that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. In this thorough, firsthand account, Welfeld provides not only soundly documented history, but analyses of events that arrive at different interpretations than Congress reached in its investigations. Throughout, his readings ask hard and probing questions: Where were the overseers--the media, Congress, the General Accounting Office, the Office of Management and Budget? To what extent is poor management the root cause of HUD's failures? Will tighter regulation help in keeping out corruption? After his comprehensive survey of the scene, Welfeld goes the final step and offers solutions: a set of programs that would minimize secrecy on the part of federal administrators and the temptation to abuse the public trust. Most importantly, the programs outlined here will enable HUD to more effectively fulfill its mission to see that there is decent affordable housing for all Americans. HUD Scandals will be of interest to scholars of public administration, political scientists, and analysts of housing issues. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Sex Scandal America David Rosen, Professor David Rosen, 2010-03 Sex Scandal America is a comprehensive history of sexual scandals in America from colonial times (including Pocahontas and the Puritans) to today (few know about this part of George W. Bush's dubious past). The book exposes the scandals of national political figures (presidents, congress-folk, governors) and those of celebrities (e.g., entertainers and tycoons). It ties these scandals to the deeper changes in sexual culture occurring during the various phases of the country's social evolution. Most importantly, it assesses the role of political scandals as a form of public shaming. The book shows how, over the last four centuries, scandals have changed as a ritualized spectacle, evolving from a morality tale to an entertainment distraction. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Red Card Ken Bensinger, 2019-06-11 The definitive, shocking account of the FIFA scandal—the biggest corruption case of recent years—involving dozens of countries and implicating nearly every aspect of the world’s most popular sport, soccer, including the World Cup is “an engrossing and jaw-dropping tale of international intrigue…A riveting book” (The New York Times). The FIFA case began small, boosted by an IRS agent’s review of an American soccer official’s tax returns. But that humble investigation eventually led to a huge worldwide corruption scandal that crossed continents and reached the highest levels of the soccer’s world governing body in Switzerland. “The meeting of American investigative reporting and real-life cop show” (The Financial Times), Ken Bensinger’s Red Card explores the case, and the personalities behind it, in vivid detail. There’s Chuck Blazer, a high-living soccer dad who ascended to the highest ranks of the sport while creaming millions from its coffers; Jack Warner, a Trinidadian soccer official whose lust for power was matched only by his boundless greed; and the sport’s most powerful man, FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who held on to his position at any cost even as soccer rotted from the inside out. Remarkably, this corruption existed for decades before American law enforcement officials began to secretly dig, finally revealing that nearly every aspect of the planet’s favorite sport was corrupted by bribes, kickbacks, fraud, and money laundering. Not even the World Cup, the most-watched sporting event in history, was safe from the thick web of corruption, as powerful FIFA officials extracted their bribes at every turn. “A gripping white-collar crime thriller that, in its scope and human drama, ranks with some of the best investigative business books of the past thirty years” (The Wall Street Journal), Red Card goes beyond the headlines to bring the real story to light. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Black Edge Sheelah Kolhatkar, 2017 The rise over the last two decades of a powerful new class of billionaire financiers marks a singular shift in the American economic and political landscape. Their vast reserves of concentrated wealth have allowed a small group of big winners to write their own rules of capitalism and public policy. How did we get here? ... Kolhatkar shows how Steve Cohen became one of the richest and most influential figures in finance--and what happened when the Justice Department put him in its crosshairs--Amazon.com. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Lost History Robert Parry, 1999 |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Pig Book Citizens Against Government Waste, 2013-09-17 The federal government wastes your tax dollars worse than a drunken sailor on shore leave. The 1984 Grace Commission uncovered that the Department of Defense spent $640 for a toilet seat and $436 for a hammer. Twenty years later things weren't much better. In 2004, Congress spent a record-breaking $22.9 billion dollars of your money on 10,656 of their pork-barrel projects. The war on terror has a lot to do with the record $413 billion in deficit spending, but it's also the result of pork over the last 18 years the likes of: - $50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa - $102 million to study screwworms which were long ago eradicated from American soil - $273,000 to combat goth culture in Missouri - $2.2 million to renovate the North Pole (Lucky for Santa!) - $50,000 for a tattoo removal program in California - $1 million for ornamental fish research Funny in some instances and jaw-droppingly stupid and wasteful in others, The Pig Book proves one thing about Capitol Hill: pork is king! |
| biggest scandals in us history: Dark Quadrant Jonathan Marshall, 2021-04-09 From Truman to Trump, the deep corruption of our political leaders unveiled. Many critiques of the Trump era contrast it with the latter half of the twentieth century, when the United States seemed governed more by statesmen than by special interests. Without denying the extraordinary vigor of President Trump’s assault on traditional ethical and legal norms, Jonathan Marshall challenges the myth of a golden age of American democracy. Drawing on a host of original archival sources, he tells a shocking story of how well-protected criminals systematically organized the corruption of American national politics after World War II. Marshall begins by tracing the extraordinary scandals of President Truman, whose political career was launched by the murderous Pendergast machine in Missouri. He goes on to highlight the role of organized crime in the rise of McCarthyism during the Cold War, the near-derailment of Vice President Johnson’s political career by two mob-related scandals, and Nixon’s career-long association with underworld figures. The book culminates with a discussion of Donald Trump’s unique history of relations with the traditional American Mafia and newer transnational gangs like the Russian mafiya—and how the latter led to his historic impeachment by the House of Representatives. |
| biggest scandals in us history: To Make Men Free Heather Cox Richardson, 2014-09-23 From the New York Times bestselling author of Democracy Awakening, “the most comprehensive account of the GOP and its competing impulses” (Los Angeles Times) When Abraham Lincoln helped create the Republican Party on the eve of the Civil War, his goal was to promote economic opportunity for all Americans, not just the slaveholding Southern planters who steered national politics. Yet, despite the egalitarian dream at the heart of its founding, the Republican Party quickly became mired in a fundamental identity crisis. Would it be the party of democratic ideals? Or would it be the party of moneyed interests? In the century and a half since, Republicans have vacillated between these two poles, with dire economic, political, and moral repercussions for the entire nation. In To Make Men Free, celebrated historian Heather Cox Richardson traces the shifting ideology of the Grand Old Party from the antebellum era to the Great Recession, revealing the insidious cycle of boom and bust that has characterized the Party since its inception. While in office, progressive Republicans like Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower revived Lincoln's vision of economic freedom and expanded the government, attacking the concentration of wealth and nurturing upward mobility. But they and others like them have been continually thwarted by powerful business interests in the Party. Their opponents appealed to Americans' latent racism and xenophobia to regain political power, linking taxation and regulation to redistribution and socialism. The results of the Party's wholesale embrace of big business are all too familiar: financial collapses like the Panic of 1893, the Great Depression in 1929, and the Great Recession in 2008. With each passing decade, with each missed opportunity and political misstep, the schism within the Republican Party has grown wider, pulling the GOP ever further from its founding principles. Expansive and authoritative, To Make Men Free is a sweeping history of the Party that was once America's greatest political hope -- and, time and time again, has proved its greatest disappointment. |
| biggest scandals in us history: The Everything American Presidents Book Martin Kelly, Melissa Kelly, 2007-05-11 The Everything American Presidents Book is an excellent source of information about each of the forty-three men who have served as chief executive of the United States. This exhaustive guide provides you with all you need to know about this country's leaders, including: Their early childhood and formative years The effect of the office on wives and children The triumphs and tragedies that shaped them The legacy of each man's term in office Written in an entertaining style by two experienced educators, this fun and informative guide is packed with facts and details about the life and times of each president and the major events that shaped his term. The Everything American Presidents Book has everything you need to know about the fascinating men who shaped U.S. history and policy. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Billion Dollar Whale Bradley Hope, Tom Wright, 2018-09-18 Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Financial Times and Fortune, this thrilling (Bill Gates) New York Times bestseller exposes how a modern Gatsby swindled over $5 billion with the aid of Goldman Sachs in the heist of the century (Axios). Now a #1 international bestseller, Billion Dollar Whale is an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale (Publishers Weekly), revealing how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest heists in history. In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude--one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system. Over a decade, Low, with the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund--right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs. Low used the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw champagne-drenched parties, and even to finance Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street. By early 2019, with his yacht and private jet reportedly seized by authorities and facing criminal charges in Malaysia and in the United States, Low had become an international fugitive, even as the U.S. Department of Justice continued its investigation. Billion Dollar Whale has joined the ranks of Liar's Poker, Den of Thieves, and Bad Blood as a classic harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world. |
| biggest scandals in us history: Arming America Michael A. Bellesiles, 2003 |
POLITICAL SCANDALS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY
Political scandals should involve politicians and not private citizens. Civilians should be included only when they are closely linked to elected or appointed officials.
Museum of American Finance “Scandal! Financial Crime
Deep-rooted conflicts of interest and corruption were at the heart of two of the biggest scandals in US government history. In 1864, the Union Pacific Railroad, America’s first transcontinental …
The Teapot Dome Scandal
Teapot Dome has an enduring legacy as one of the most significant government scandals in American history and as a prime example of the rampant corruption that plagued the …
Skeletons in White House Closets: A Discussion of Modern …
istrations. We found 87 scandals, with one occurring every five months, on average. We have detailed how number and types of scandals vary across years and presidencies. We also …
Corruption and Reform: Lessons from America's Economic …
Finally we study newspaper reporting of two of the biggest na- tional scandals in American history: Crédit Mobilier in the 1870s and Tea- pot Dome in the 1920s.
The Cold War: Crash Course US History #37 - Richmond …
Terrorism, War, and Bush 43: Crash Course US History #46 1. In the Election of 2000, Bush was running as a “compassionate conservative” and relying on what 2 groups for support?
Second Annual Yesteryear Issue Second Annual Yesteryear …
Apr 9, 2012 · still threw up our hands: There have simply been too many New York scandals to include them all. And so we apologize for over- looking more than a few corrupt politicians, …
TIME-STAMPED EPISODE 26: GILDED AGE POLITICS - Mrs …
Two of the biggest corruption scandals at the federal government level involved _____ Mobilier, which used the Union Pacific Railway to cheat taxpayers, and the _____________________ …
The History of Presidential Scandals - masterapts.com
presentation will highlight the major scandals that have besmirched presidential administrations from Washington to Trump. _____ Don Schwartz, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in modern U.S. …
Presidential Scandal Worksheet - Mr. Guy's Class
In 4-6 sentences, explain which of the scandals was the biggest/most important one in American History?
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in …
Aug 4, 2017 · scandals from the early twentieth century through the post-9/11 era highlights the importance of all the above requirements for an efficient, legally-compliant, and ethically …
The Rise of the Fourth Estate: How Newspapers Became …
We examine the press coverage surrounding two major political scandals—Crédit Mobilier in the early 1870s and Teapot Dome in the 1920s. The analysis demonstrates a sharp reduction in …
Alphabetical List of Most Important Accounting Scandals …
Alphabetical List of Most Important Accounting Scandals Across 12 Countries 521 of 25 billion, post-closure estimates of the amount in default ranged up to 13 billion. Extensive …
Financial scandals: a historical overview - Taylor & Francis Online
I present a historical overview of financial scandals and offer an explanation of their frequency and extent. Financial scandals appear more prevalent in certain historical periods, cluster by …
A Brief History of Scandals - The Simons Center
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in National SecurityInterrogations A history of (at least) American national security operations and initiatives shows, fairly …
The 3 biggest higher education controversies of 2021
Here is a recap of the three biggest scandals and controversies from 2021. Unfortunately, the “Varsity Blues” scandal lacked Jon Voight, James Van Der Beek, or Scott Caan stealing a …
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in …
Public scandals arising from military and national security-related interrogation operations have invariably resulted from lack of at least one of three essential elements for efficient, humane, …
Interchange: Corruption Has a History - Scholars at Harvard
Since Donald J. Trump took ofice in January 2017, his presidential administration has been beset with accusations of corruption. The charges range broadly, from conflicts of interest to receipt …
From Independence to Regulation: A Look into Major …
accounting scandals that took place, such as Tyco, HealthSouth, Freddie Mac, this paper focuses specifically on the Enron and WorldCom scandals and how these two scandals played a large …
Tackling Defence Corruption: History of a ‘Whole Sector’ …
Major scandals in the US (such as the Boeing tanker refuelling contract) and in Europe (such as BAE-Al Yamamah) also led to strengthened national defence procurement practices.
POLITICAL SCANDALS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY
Political scandals should involve politicians and not private citizens. Civilians should be included only when they are closely linked to elected or appointed officials.
Museum of American Finance “Scandal! Financial Crime
Deep-rooted conflicts of interest and corruption were at the heart of two of the biggest scandals in US government history. In 1864, the Union Pacific Railroad, America’s first transcontinental …
The Teapot Dome Scandal
Teapot Dome has an enduring legacy as one of the most significant government scandals in American history and as a prime example of the rampant corruption that plagued the …
Skeletons in White House Closets: A Discussion of Modern …
istrations. We found 87 scandals, with one occurring every five months, on average. We have detailed how number and types of scandals vary across years and presidencies. We also …
Corruption and Reform: Lessons from America's Economic …
Finally we study newspaper reporting of two of the biggest na- tional scandals in American history: Crédit Mobilier in the 1870s and Tea- pot Dome in the 1920s.
The Cold War: Crash Course US History #37 - Richmond …
Terrorism, War, and Bush 43: Crash Course US History #46 1. In the Election of 2000, Bush was running as a “compassionate conservative” and relying on what 2 groups for support?
Second Annual Yesteryear Issue Second Annual Yesteryear …
Apr 9, 2012 · still threw up our hands: There have simply been too many New York scandals to include them all. And so we apologize for over- looking more than a few corrupt politicians, …
TIME-STAMPED EPISODE 26: GILDED AGE POLITICS - Mrs …
Two of the biggest corruption scandals at the federal government level involved _____ Mobilier, which used the Union Pacific Railway to cheat taxpayers, and the _____________________ …
The History of Presidential Scandals - masterapts.com
presentation will highlight the major scandals that have besmirched presidential administrations from Washington to Trump. _____ Don Schwartz, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in modern U.S. …
Presidential Scandal Worksheet - Mr. Guy's Class
In 4-6 sentences, explain which of the scandals was the biggest/most important one in American History?
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in …
Aug 4, 2017 · scandals from the early twentieth century through the post-9/11 era highlights the importance of all the above requirements for an efficient, legally-compliant, and ethically …
The Rise of the Fourth Estate: How Newspapers Became …
We examine the press coverage surrounding two major political scandals—Crédit Mobilier in the early 1870s and Teapot Dome in the 1920s. The analysis demonstrates a sharp reduction in …
Alphabetical List of Most Important Accounting Scandals …
Alphabetical List of Most Important Accounting Scandals Across 12 Countries 521 of 25 billion, post-closure estimates of the amount in default ranged up to 13 billion. Extensive …
Financial scandals: a historical overview - Taylor & Francis …
I present a historical overview of financial scandals and offer an explanation of their frequency and extent. Financial scandals appear more prevalent in certain historical periods, cluster by …
A Brief History of Scandals - The Simons Center
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in National SecurityInterrogations A history of (at least) American national security operations and initiatives shows, fairly …
The 3 biggest higher education controversies of 2021
Here is a recap of the three biggest scandals and controversies from 2021. Unfortunately, the “Varsity Blues” scandal lacked Jon Voight, James Van Der Beek, or Scott Caan stealing a …
A Brief History of Scandals: Special Oversight Challenges in …
Public scandals arising from military and national security-related interrogation operations have invariably resulted from lack of at least one of three essential elements for efficient, humane, …
Interchange: Corruption Has a History - Scholars at Harvard
Since Donald J. Trump took ofice in January 2017, his presidential administration has been beset with accusations of corruption. The charges range broadly, from conflicts of interest to receipt …
From Independence to Regulation: A Look into Major …
accounting scandals that took place, such as Tyco, HealthSouth, Freddie Mac, this paper focuses specifically on the Enron and WorldCom scandals and how these two scandals played a large …
Tackling Defence Corruption: History of a ‘Whole Sector’ …
Major scandals in the US (such as the Boeing tanker refuelling contract) and in Europe (such as BAE-Al Yamamah) also led to strengthened national defence procurement practices.
