10 Most Corrupt Politicians for 2006 & 6 Honorable Mentions

Judicial Watch ^ | Dec 21, 2006 | Judicial Watch

[Radigan]

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2006 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.”

The list, in alphabetical order, includes:

1. Jack Abramoff, Former Lobbyist – 2. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 3. Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) 4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) 5. Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) 6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) 7. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) 8. Rep. William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) 9. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) 10. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

6 Dishonorable Mentions:

1. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) 2. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) 3. Former Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) 4. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) 5. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) 6. David Safavian, Former Bush Administration Official

[Radigan]

RINO's and socialists....hmmmmm.

[Disambiguator]

Bill Richardson (the present Democrat Governor of New Moscowco) should be on that list.

[DManA]

What's Hastert doing on the list?

[Don Corleone]

The people are only getting what they seem to approve.

[roses of sharon]

Delay and Hastert are corrupt?

I missed that, what did they do?

[reagan_fanatic]

I think it would be easier to just list those who AREN'T corrupt.

[aShepard]

Well, since they're not all office holders, how did Sandy Burgler escape notice?

[gov_bean_ counter]

My thoughts exactly. Incompetent doesn't necessarily equate to corrupt.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Referring to Hastert.

[Radigan]

4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) – Tom DeLay, who was forced to step down from his position as House Majority Leader and then resign from Congress, decided in 2006 not to run for re-election. Congressman DeLay has been embroiled in a series of scandals from bribery to influence peddling, and was indicted twice by grand juries in Texas.

____________________

6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) – In addition to mishandling the Foley scandal, outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert allowed House ethics process to ground to a halt on his watch. Gary Condit, Cynthia McKinney, William Jefferson, John Conyers, Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, Jim McDermott, Patrick Kennedy are examples of alleged wrongdoers who faced little-to-no ethics enforcement in the House.

I was surprised to see them on this list too. The explanation Judicial Watch gives is understandable though.

[bassmaner]

Probably because Hastert 'circled the wagons' to defend William Jefferson (Democrat - Louisiana) by protesting the FBI search of Jefferson's office. Not only foolish, but weak: imagine Nancy Pelosi defending a Republican accused of similar corruption.

[Rameumptom]

Why is Obama on the list? Maybe my head has been under a rock, but I just haven't heard any scandals in about him in the year and a half he's been in office.

[Radigan]

5. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) – News reports surfaced in 2006 that Illinois Senator Barak Obama entered into an unusual land deal with a now-indicted political fundraiser, Tony Rezko. The complicated real estate transaction occurred when it was widely known that Rezko was under federal investigation in a political corruption scandal.


This is the first I've read of this real estate deal. Can't understand why it hasn't been widely reported.

[PolishProud]

Neither Hastert or Delay or Foley have been found guilty. Perhaps they didn't contribute enough to Judicial Watch. Where does it say they were convicted.

[Rameumptom]

Never mind, I followed the link

5. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) – News reports surfaced in 2006 that Illinois Senator Barak Obama entered into an unusual land deal with a now-indicted political fundraiser, Tony Rezko. The complicated real estate transaction occurred when it was widely known that Rezko was under federal investigation in a political corruption scandal.

[Exit148]

HeeHee -- Hillary is #2? I wonder if she will respond.

[bilhosty]

One can say that Hastert may of been soft ( I don't know) but that hardly makes him corrrupt. Mark Foley was a creep but not a crook. Theindictiment of Delay shows that that the DA was a crok and not Delay. Get off of it Judicial watch. Cynthia Mckinney was an emotionally distrubed nut cake but not a crook for her troubles. What about Corrine Brown? I understand Judicial Watch has to add Republicans so it can look non-partisan but the facts are that the Dem's are the party of corruption and that is it.

[DManA]

I agree that was stupid but not my definition of corrupt.

[Rameumptom]

beat me by 30 seconds, sorry for the repeat

Of course I am totally "shocked and awed" the MSM hasn't jumbped all over Obama's land deals

;-)

[roses of sharon]

Wow, who did Delay bribe? And for what?

I was not aware the bipartisan ethics committee been disbanded by Hastart? It seems I have read various articles on them deliberating various events over the years, maybe I'm remembering wrong?

[DManA]

It was revealing that for all the hand ringing no one called for making what Foley did illegal.

Mark Foley was a creep but not a crook.

[bassmaner]

Congressman DeLay has been embroiled in a series of scandals from bribery to influence peddling, and was indicted twice by grand juries in Texas, empaneled by a PARTISAN HACK Democrat prosecutor by the name of Ronnie Earle.

Fixed it.

Mark my words, DeLay will be cleared, and he will have a very good case to sue Ronnie Earle for malicious prosecution. Once he's cleared, he'll run for higher office (Governor or US Senator), and probably win.

[Andy'smom]

Nobody from New Jersey?

[cripplecreek]

Interesting pattern there. Looks like one democrat is no longer seated.

[jaydubya2]

It's been all over conservative radio in Chicago. Obama got a sweetheart deal on the property adjacent to his new multi-million dollar home. Rezko purchased the adjacent lot on the same day Obama purchased his. There are many more details, but it sticks to high heaven!

[Michael.SF.]

Well, since they're not all office holders, how did Sandy Burgler escape notice?

Maybe it depends on what the definition of "corrupt" is?

Burglar did not steal classified documents for money, but rather to avoid letting the truth out about the Clinton's.

[Radigan]

I agree that Hastert was spineless. I don't understand Delay being on the list considering the full story of his situation. Appearances do not constitute wrong-doing. It seems Judicial Watch's focus was on corruption and those who looked the other way to protect their peers.
McDermott should certainly be on the list.

[dead]

Cynthia Mckinney was an emotionally distrubed nut cake but not a crook for her troubles.

Well, she assaulted a cop. It's against the law, but not necessarily evidence of corruption.

Bob Menedez (D-New Jersey) is under investigation by the FBI for his rent/payola scam, in which he charged a "non-profit community organization" (in New Jersey, that's the term for a Democratic slush fund) exorbitant rent in exchange for millions in taxpayer handouts.

He's going to prison.

[desherwood7]

Murtha should be in the top 10, If not Number 1.

[Vision]

4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) – Tom DeLay, who was forced to step down from his position as House Majority Leader and then resign from Congress, decided in 2006 not to run for re-election. Congressman DeLay has been embroiled in a series of scandals from bribery to influence peddling, and was indicted twice by grand juries in Texas.

For once and for all ANYBODY tell me how Delay is corrupt. What I know is, about 6 months before all those stories began to appear, Soros announced the creation of a new group or pac of his to defeat Delay. As far as I know he was charged with something that was not a crime when it happened. Earl is the criminal.

[Vision]

6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) – In addition to mishandling the Foley scandal, outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert allowed House ethics process to ground to a halt on his watch. Gary Condit, Cynthia McKinney, William Jefferson, John Conyers, Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, Jim McDermott, Patrick Kennedy are examples of alleged wrongdoers who faced little-to-no ethics enforcement in the House.

And this is pathetic too.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Worthless list. What is Hastert doing on the list? Delay was the victim of a totally partisan witchhunt. Murtha should be on the main list. Totally worthless.

[MikeA]

Not sure why Hastert made the list. Being busier with more important matters than what 18 year olds Foley chooses to contact to me isn't corruption. The utterly corrupt Democratic Congressman William Mollohan who had to be removed as co-chair of the House Ethics Committee for taking bribes from West Virginia contractors is imminently more deserving of the spot occupied by Hastert. Hastert is incompetent to the point of almost being inert, but not corrupt.

[buck61]

I do remember Hastert telling the FBI they had no power to search Jefferson's office when they were doing the investigation
of the FBI sting on Jefferson. I thought at the time it did seem strange a Republican House Leader would interfere with this investigation.

In all, this has convinced me all the elected officials covers one another's ass.

[TruthWillWin]

Delay and Hastert are corrupt?

I missed that, what did they do?

They are quilty of being breathing Republicans.

[Tanniker Smith]

RINO's and socialists....

... and bears, oh my!

[drjimmy]

FYI, of those on the Judicial Watch list, only Jack Abramoff, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, David Safavian, and Patrick Kennedy have been found guilty or pleaded guilty to any crime. Of the others, only Tom Delay is currently facing criminal charges. Alcee Hastings was found not guilty of bribery in 1981 and a grand jury declined to indict Cynthia McKinney on an assault charge after she smacked a Capitol cop last June. To my knowledge, none of the others have ever been charged with any crime, including William Jefferson.

[Frwy]

He ignored/let slide what he know about Mark Foley.

[diogenes ghost]

"What did Hastert do?" He and Yorkville lawyer Dallas Ingemunson are involved in shady land deal regarding acquisition of land together, then, suddenly - lo & behold - it was announced a federally funded highway, complete with interchange, would cross that very land. Imagine that, being persecuted for receiving a miracle!

[Nancee]

AMAZING!!!

[roses of sharon]

Well, I'm really behind the curve, I hadn't heard about him being convicted of a "shady" land deal.

[Tzimisce]

interesting

[indthkr]

bump for later.........

[diogenes ghost]

"Hadn't heard of him being convicted..." Well, how many others on the list have been? And since when has only a conviction defined a corrupt politician?

[roses of sharon]

LOL, sorry, unless a person has been convicted of a crime or admitted to a crime, I don't listen to the MSM or any groups accuse someone of corruption.

But that's just me.

[PISANO]

Can't understand why it hasn't been widely reported.

I would imagine he could DO just about ANYTHING without having to worry about the MSM getting involved!!

[3catsanadog]

He didn't call the New York Times, et al when he first heard that Foley might or might not be sending suggestive emails to pages. He didn't bring the legislature to a screeching halt because of this.

[diogenes ghost]

"I don't listen to the MSM...unless a person has been convicted" So, therefore, you do not believe Jefferson, Clinton, Reid, Ney et al are corrupt? How about Kofi Annan? Bill Clinton? The original Mayor Daley? I could go on and on, but you wouldn't care, because they 'weren't convicted.' You need to learn to judge your leaders harshly, as they wield enormous power over you, your family, and your country.

[roses of sharon]

Relax, lol.

Clinton is a no brainer, Ney I believe admitted it, I remember hearing him talk about his troubles, Jefferson is also a no brainier with cash in the freezer.

Kofi I also heard speak on his troubles, and he did not have a good answer.

Hastert, I have never heard speak of any shady land deal, and haven't seen any charges or convictions.

Pols are just a reflection of us, out of the hundreds of them there will be some good, some half good, some bad, some real bad, some downright criminal.

We have enormous power over them, we can fire them every two and six years.

[SunkenCiv]

Awww, Hitlery's slipped from #1 to #2 compared with 2002's list:

Judicial Watch's ***THE DIRTY DOZEN*** The 12 Most Corrupt Leaders of 2002
Judicial Watch | 12-23-02 | Judicial Watch
Posted on 12/24/2002 3:07:25 AM EST by Joy Angela
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/811640/posts

Media Myth Debunked: WaPo Exposes Murtha's Democrat Culture of Corruption
http://newsbusters.org/ | December 25, 2006 | Noel Sheppard
Posted on 12/26/2006 7:31:41 PM EST by lowbridge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1758740/posts