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http://www.beyonddelay.org/node/100

Report documents 25 'most corrupt' in Congress

A new report on political corruption in Washington offers exhaustive documentation of the unethical and possibly illegal activities of the 25 "most tainted" members of Congress.

Five of the names on the list are currently under federal investigation: Senators Conrad Burns (R-MT) and Bill Frist (R-TN) and Representatives Jerry Lewis (R-CA), William Jefferson (D-LA), and Alan Mollohan (D-WV).

Others have come under scrutiny for ethical lapses involving campaign contributions, conflicts of interest, improper relationships with lobbyists, and failures to meet disclosure requirements.

"Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch)" is the second annual report from the non-profit legal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). An associated website, Beyond DeLay, offers both summary and detailed versions of CREW's analysis of the transgressions of all 25.

A majority of those listed are Republicans, several of whom have been linked to the spreading Jack Abramoff and "Duke" Cunningham scandals. As well as those cited as being under investigation, the Top 20 includes such high-profile names as Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Representatives Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Doolittle (R-CA), Tom Feeney (R-FL), Katherine Harris (R-FL), Richard Pombo (R-CA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), John Sweeney (R-NY), and Curt Weldon (R-PA). Representatives Chris Cannon (R-UT) and J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) are among the dishonorable mentions.

The most prominent name on the dishonorable mention list is Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, cited for questionable real estate deals in which he earmarked highway construction money to increase the value of land he owned.

However, the report does not spare Democrats, even popular ones. As well as Representatives Jefferson and Mollohan, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) are both cited for using their offices to benefit family members.

And the actual list in question:

The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL)
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)
Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA)

Dishonorable Mentions

Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT)
Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)

Power corrupts.

 

[maynerd]

I count 21 out of the 25 being Republicans... umm...yeah...

:lol

 

[argon]

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

That's my district. I'm a Republican and I can't stand the guy. =(

There's really nothing you can do to supplant any Representative from California. Through redistricting shenanigans, both the Democrats and the Republicans have agreed to lock up their districts, resulting in a near-100% incumbency re-election ratios even as voter confidence in congress is at its lowest levels in decades.

 

[Tamanon]

Isn't corrupt congressman kinda redundant?

 

[tegdf]

The 20 Most Awesomest Members of Congress

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL)
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)
Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA)

Awesomest honorable Mentions

Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT)
Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)

Republicans win

 

[malek4980]

Republicans are very corrupt but is this report unbiased? The report was created by CREW and this group claims to be a progressive organization that works with left leaning not-profit organization. Many of their members worked for or with DEMOCRATS! If the tables were turned how much stock would you put in a report made by a rightist organization that works with conservative groups whose membership is composed of men and women who worked for or under Republicans?

I have little doubt that these people on the list are corrupt, but they couldn't find more Democrats?

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Before anybody gets all morally superior about the number of R's on that list, remember that there are more of them to start with, and they hold more power to abuse. I don't doubt that we'd see more D's if the Dems controlled congress.

 

[Instigator]

Before anybody gets all morally superior about the number of R's on that list, remember that there are more of them to start with, and they hold more power to abuse. I don't doubt that we'd see more D's if the Dems controlled congress.

It goes without saying.

 

[platypotamus]

I used to live in Maxine Waters' district out in CA, and she never once got my vote.

Spoiler

yes, I voted

 

[maynerd]

Before anybody gets all morally superior about the number of R's on that list, remember that there are more of them to start with, and they hold more power to abuse. I don't doubt that we'd see more D's if the Dems controlled congress.

That doesn't make their corruption excuseable does it?

 

[ToxicAdam]

If this list was made in 1993, it would have been inversed.

It just shows you that power corrupts ... but it's even more disparaging for Republicans because they ran on that "throw the bums out" campaign of 1992-1994. Now, they are the bums ..

-----

I hate that bullshit arguement "Well, does thatt make it right?" ... hurr hurr No, but it does mean you shouldn't get all full of yourself and think that your party has some sort of moral highground.

 

[malek4980]

If this list was made in 1993, it would have been inversed.

If CREW existed back then, I doubt it.

 

[ToxicAdam]

If CREW existed back then, I doubt it.

lol That goes without saying.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I'm not excusing anything-- I lean left as it is. I'm just waring to treat this as a list of individuals who happen to be mostly Republican rather than a scathing indictment of the GOP.

 

[sefskillz]

Frist is right on. No denying that one.

 

[maynerd]

I hate that bullshit arguement "Well, does thatt make it right?" ... hurr hurr No, but it does mean you shouldn't get all full of yourself and think that your party has some sort of moral highground.

Facts are facts. Democrats do not have the level of corruption in the current government. You shouldn't get all full of yourself to say..hey we're corrupt but you did it too over a decade ago! You know what I don't give a shit about the past right now. I want people that are corrupt and assholes out of government whether they be democrats or republicans or in between. I am paying the ****ers with my taxes. I expect quality work and results. Right now this country is heading down the toilet and it's complete BS. **** these ****ers.

 

[Mute]

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN)
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL)
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY)
Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA)

Wow :lol

 

[argon]

Wow :lol

You forgot one:

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)

But yeah, California has some of the most corrupt legislators in the state, on both sides of the aisle, mostly due to the districting problem I mentioned in my previous post. There's absolutely no accountability.

 

[Mute]

You forgot one:

Oops, fixed. Well, I for one am proud to be a Cali native

 

[ToxicAdam]

Facts are facts. Democrats do not have the level of corruption in the current government. You shouldn't get all full of yourself to say..hey we're corrupt but you did it too over a decade ago! You know what I don't give a shit about the past right now. I want people that are corrupt and assholes out of government whether they be democrats or republicans or in between. I am paying the ****ers with my taxes. I expect quality work and results. Right now this country is heading down the toilet and it's complete BS. **** these ****ers.

So, now a list compiled by a completely biased organization are "facts?".


Let me contact Fox news and see what list they can compile, so I can have my own "facts".

 

[maynerd]

So, now a list compiled by a completely biased organization are "facts?".


Let me contact Fox news and see what list they can compile, so I can have my own "facts".

Feel free to come up with facts to create your own list. Show me how much more corrupt the democrats are than the republicans....

I'm waiting.

 

[Gio_CoD]

An organization funded by George Soros finds that Republicans are corrupt? Shocking.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Feel free to come up with facts to create your own list. Show me how much more corrupt the democrats are than the republicans....

I'm waiting.

So, biased lists are okay as long as there are facts involved?

 

[C4Lukins]

That doesn't make their corruption excuseable does it?

No it doesn't, but considering the democrat representatives cannot get a bill passed, it is harder for them to have the power to even be corrupt. You cannot attach some shady extra onto a bill if it is not going to be passed. Furthermore outside sources are less likely to approach you because you cannot really do anything to help them. The sad thing is that a ton of our elected officials on both sides are corrupt.

 

[maynerd]

So, biased lists are okay as long as there are facts involved?

Sure I'm interested to see what level of corruption there is in the democratic party. I only want to see current stuff though. Of course you need to provide supporting documentation on the facts you present.

Here's a fun little one that highlights corruption surrounding one man.

http://thinkprogress.org/abramoff

 

[Link1110]

Wow, republicans are to that list what DS games are to the Media Create charts. 21/25.

Edit: It's like Republican Training!

 

[Suburban Cowboy]

Republicans top the charts cause they are the ones in power.

 

[Escape Goat]

Whatever happened to Gary Condit and the Chandra Leevey murder?

 

[impirius]

Whatever happened to Gary Condit and the Chandra Leevey murder?

It was one of the leading stories on September 10th 2001

 

[Escape Goat]

It was one of the leading stories on September 10th 2001

Oh, guess that wraps it up then.

 

[APF]

I can't believe all those Republicans lost the support of a progressive organization that was started as a reaction to what its founders saw as a dominance of conservative/right-leaning citizens groups focusing on "government integrity."

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Cool, Ohio isn't corrupt.

 

[rs7k]

 

[Aisenherz]

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

 

[Diablos]

Tricky Ricky made the list, and rightfully so.

 

[Corwood Rep]

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

That's my district. I'm a Republican and I can't stand the guy. =(

There's really nothing you can do to supplant any Representative from California. Through redistricting shenanigans, both the Democrats and the Republicans have agreed to lock up their districts, resulting in a near-100% incumbency re-election ratios even as voter confidence in congress is at its lowest levels in decades.

Redistricting should have passed. Don't know what the **** lapse in judgment happened with the voters on that one.