Craig Bengle, Washington Bureau Chief
I’ve spent enough time in politics to know that when someone gets in serious trouble, strangely enough, it’s always the little things that get them.
You would think that when a powerful Chairman of a committee overseeing the U.S. Treasury gets into deep trouble, it’s because he’s been canny enough to find a way to secretly print over a gazillion dollars and buy a third-world country. Oh, I don’t know, let’s say the Dominican Republic. 
Or when a Cabinet Secretary who regulates every mineral mine west of the Mississippi is caught on the take, enough silver to plate an aircraft carrier is found under a giant tarp in his back yard. Or when the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission joins the dark side, she has been wiley enough to time the trade of ten million shares of Google and buy her grand kids the MGM Studios or the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
I mean, if you’re a public official who’s going to get in trouble, the kind that completely blows your career and makes you the laughing stock of the entire nation, it seems to me you should be smart enough to and make it worth it. I mean really go for it. The problem is, this rarely happens.
"Who me?"
Charlie Rangel, the affable Chairman of the “Powerful Ways and Means Committee” in Congress, has been under fire recently because he neglected to pay a total of $5,000 in taxes owed for rental income he earned on a cottage in the Dominican Republic. He has owned the beach house for about twenty years, so this amounts to bilking the taxpayers out of roughly $250 per year. Now, in a more recent news flash, we come to find that he has neglected to pay taxes on imputed income from a parking space where his broken-down Mercedes has sat lifeless over the years. These acts, quite frankly, are embarrassing. It’s like an armed robber who knocks over a 7-11, ignores the cash register, and demands a pack of Marlboro Light’s and a lottery ticket.
Ney, pondering $8 per hour
Or take, for example, former Congressman Bob Ney of Ohio who was recently released from prison for promoting legislation in exchange for $170,000 worth of gambling sprees at foreign private casinos, expensive meals, luxury travel, and sky box sports tickets. $170,000 is nothing to sneeze at, you’re thinking. But consider the fact that this money was “earned” over a four year corruption run from 2000 to 2004. Doing the math — [170,000/4 = $42,500/yr equating to < intern wages @40 hours/week x the square root of 17.5 months in prison] = about $8 per hour. Not a good deal, Bob.
Finally, consider Rep. William Jefferson, who took bribes in the amount of $100,000. While his list of wrong doings is by all means impressive — racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy — his payoff was miserable. If Jefferson could stash all his loot in a single box, which he did, in his refrigerator freezer between a bag of Kool Pops and a package of Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sticks . . . well, needless to say this was not enough cold, hard cash for the trouble.
Standard Form Circular A-55K19
There is apparently a reason that so many legislators have become ensnared with the law for so little in the way of reward this past decade. In prosecuting these cases and more like them, the Justice Department came to discover that various lobbyists, fundraisers, and foreign agents looking to curry favor in return for bribes have been requiring the lawmakers to complete a standardized form [Circular A-55K19] before any formal bribery may begin.
This questionnaire is instructive in that it is clearly designed to qualify lawmakers who fit a particular profile. A sampling of the questions posed on the form was obtained by Writing Frontier from an FBI informant and is as follows:
1. “In exchange for voting “YES” on an amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill granting the rights for the construction of an Indian reservation gambling casino grossing $7 billion per year and within 1000 yards of a federal nuclear power facility, would you accept:
a. a pen light/key chain combo in the shape of a totem pole worth $19.95
b. $5.00 in Roulette chips at said gambling casino or a complimentary “all you can eat” buffet (Value $9.95! Offer while supplies last!!!)
c. Complimentary drinks for two (2) at Chief Running Bear Saloon (located just two miles off the freeway, Exit 9S).
d. If I vote “YES” twice, can I have two choices from the above?”
2. “In exchange for a “NO” vote on the upcoming amendment to the Defense Department Authorization Bill proposing to delete further restrictions on the advanced Patriot Missile research and development system in accordance with USC 10-183, Section 5(s)(1) but not in accord with subsection 5(4b) authorizing $545 million for said system if approved by December 31, FY 2009, would you accept:
a. a pen light/key chain combo in the shape of a Patriot Missile valued at $15.95 (batteries not included)
b. Can I have the buffet noted above instead?
c. Two (2) coupons for complimentary Jiffy Lubes, valued at $24.95 each.
d. I have no idea what you are asking me to vote on here, but I want my Patriot Missile key chain, and will therefore vote “NO” “
3. “In exchange for voting “NO” on the passage of the “Stop Violence against Disabled Veterans, Sick Women, and Homeless Children Act of 2008″, would you accept:
a. A foursome at the Jack D. Abramoff Annual Celebrity Golf Classic (to be held this year on the world-famous Deerfield Public Golf Course adjacent to Ft. Leavenworth Prison, KS.)
b. One (1) subscription to Sports Illustrated, OR Congressional Quarterly OR Roll Call, for $24.99 (a savings of over $39!)
c. I already voted “NO” on that bill last year, do you have anything else you can offer me?
d. I am really, really interested in that buffet and would like to go back to that question, if I may.
Copyright 2008 The Saturday Morning Post – All Rights Reserved
i find it so good that you can tell the facts about these thugs that cheat and the low lifs are not punished enough, or get away with it all togeather, is any one in this world not a crook??? who can we trust? even the preachers and teachers are not to be trusted, but i dont mean all of them are bad, i just think the dem, party are the the worse kind of people, seems like they all need to be crooks, and sorry to say, i have dem, members in my own family,
Dear Frostwhite:
I am sorry that you have democrats in your family. But look at the bright side. At least you don’t have insurance agents in your gene pool. Or do you? See “In Good Hands” if you get the chance. And thanks for writing.
SMP
Dear Frostwhite:
I think politicians in general, regardless of party affiliation, are not to be trusted, but your notion that all of the corrupt politicians are Democrats has a lot of holes in it. Not saying that there aren’t Democrat Congressmen and Senators who aren’t corrupt, but they are not by any means in the majority.
Go here: http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/30138
It’s CREW’s (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) 4th Annual List of the Most Corrupt Members of Congress. It lists 22 plus 2 “to watch.” Of the 24, 20 are Republicans and 4 are Democrats. As with any organization, it is the person at the top who is leading the organization who sets the “tone” for the rest of the people. If our Republican “leader” can get away with corrupt behavior and lie our country into a war, why shouldn’t many of his fellow Republicans feel they can behave in the same corrupt manner with impunity?
Republican NeoCons have all but destroyed this country.
You are right when you point out that some Republicans in office are to blame for ethical transgressions over the years as well. I wish that were not the case, but it is. Thanks for the reminder.
SMP
Antonia:
Thank you for the enlightening reference. Though I’m sure this list does not nearly begin to tip the monumental corruption iceberg of congress and state legislature, it is interesting to witness many on that list from my home state of California.
As for the article, I agree and subsequently order that all elected federal officials immediately start attempting to embezzle billions of dollars worth of precious resources like gold bars, refined uranium, and chinchilla pelts instead of petty theft like illicit toilet installation.
Come on Congress, grow some balls. Steal like you mean it.
No idea who said it, but goes a little something like this:
Many people today go into Politics because they can’t make it as an Actor.
Or because they did.
“All the world’s a stage . . .”
SMP
California voted themselves more and more benefits, then voted for more people who would provide more benefits that they now can’t afford. The entire state economy is now in ruins and they need billions of dollars to save them from themselves. They are headed for a whole lot of trouble. In that case it’s the big things. The big debt will cause people and business to leave the state. This reduces the amount coming in while increasing the debt even more. It’s like a bad play or movie and it will get worse. It never seems that anybody wants to cut expenses until forced. People only seem to understand force. Watch for rising crime rates in California, as more debt means less security. One big earth quake and the debt turns into chaos. A government needs reserve funds for emergencies and Californians are being put at risk of financial collapse. Not a pretty picture, but they do have Google for what it’s worth.