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?