Political Scandal News
Coverage of government scandals, corruption, and accountability. The Daily Signal reports on scandals with conservative analysis and commentary.
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Why the Supreme Court’s Decision on a Governor’s Corruption Conviction Matters
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its ruling in the case involving former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who—with his wife Maureen—had been convicted of public corruption charges. Whether the government chooses to retry the McDonnells remains to be seen, but it seems doubtful. The Supreme Court, in a unanimous opinion written…John G. Malcolm -
South Africa Is Losing the War Against Corruption
Once a model for emerging African democracies, South Africa is now mired in corruption that undermines its economy, provokes social unrest, and betrays the dreams and trust of millions of South Africans. South African President Jacob Zuma easily survived an April 5 impeachment vote in parliament, thanks to the large majority party he heads, the…Tyler Yeatts -
Corruption Charges in Detroit Schools Spur Calls for Education Reform
Officials are calling for education reform after bribery indictments against Detroit public school officials and a supplier alleged $2.7 million in fraudulent spending, even as Michigan’s governor signed off on nearly $50 million in emergency spending. “Principals are in positions of public trust and have an obligation to act in the best interest of their schools…Kristiana Mork -
Corruption and Lack of Economic Freedom Common Themes in Panama Papers
As The Atlantic has reported, “[d]isclosures from the Panama Papers are rocking the global political elite.” Although not all of the activities alleged in the papers may ultimately be determined to be unethical or illegal, it is instructive to look at the connections between many of the people named in the papers and the scores of their…James M. Roberts -
4 Lessons the Government Didn’t Learn After Solyndra Scandal
The lessons of Solyndra have clearly not been learned. The Department of Energy’s loan programs have been fraught with failures and corporate welfare, which have cost taxpayers millions. The problem is not just in the apparent abuse of taxpayer dollars, but more broadly that the government has continued to play venture capitalist The need for…Katie Tubb -
Why Marco Rubio Is Worried About the IRS Targeting Churches
Sen. Marco Rubio said he believes pastors must be both cautious and bold against an intrusive IRS that may be looking more carefully at their words from the pulpit after the Supreme Court ruled that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. “I think, long-term, it’s something we should be vigilant about,” Rubio, R-Fla., told The…David Brody -
The Significance of Britain’s Decision to Authorize More Airstrikes Targeting ISIS
On Wednesday, the House of Commons voted to expand Britain’s air war into Syria. Expanding the British air campaign into Syria should have been an easy decision to make, since much of the territory ISIS controls is in Syria, with its capital in Raqqa, but Prime Minister David Cameron has had a hard fight winning…Robin Simcox -
Planned Parenthood Loved This ‘Scandal’ Episode. They Shouldn’t Have.
Planned Parenthood gave the winter finale of “Scandal,” a TV drama about politics, a big thumbs up for its portrayal Thursday of a character’s abortion. “We saw one of our favorite characters make the deeply personal decision that one in three women have made in their lifetime,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement, per Entertainment…Katrina Trinko -
Lois Lerner Won’t Be Facing Criminal Charges. Here Are the Problems With the ‘Investigation’ That Cleared Her.
In an eight-page letter last week to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Justice Department informed Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., that it was closing its investigation of the IRS targeting scandal, claiming there is not sufficient evidence to “seek any criminal charges” against Lois Lerner or any other IRS officials. However, there…Hans von Spakovsky -
Poll Reveals What Americans Fear the Most: Corruption of Government Officials
Chapman University in Orange, Calif., recently conducted its second annual survey on fears possessed by Americans in order to pinpoint what Americans fear the most. The fear that ranked the highest among Americans surveyed was corruption of government officials at 58 percent. Cyber-terrorism ranked second at 44.8 percent and corporate tracking of personal information was…Sara Jones -
Haiti Struggles to Restore Democracy and Fight Corruption
Haiti finally held legislative elections last month. As Jacky Charles of the Miami Herald reported, they were “violent” and “chaotic.” But at least they happened. President Michel Martelly, in office since 2011, has weakened Haiti’s fragmented institutions and heightened political instability. He is surrounded by a network of friends and aides who, according to the…James M. Roberts -
Lois Lerner Claimed Lincoln Was Worst President. Why She’s Wrong.
Lerner, the former IRS official who is at the center of a scandal involving the targeting of conservative groups, claims in a newly-released email that Abraham Lincoln is the worst president in the nation’s history. In an email responding to a friend, Lerner wrote, “Look my view is that Lincoln was our worst president not…Mike Sabo -
The Poll Numbers on the Planned Parenthood Scandal CNN Left Out
Regardless of one’s point of view on an issue, you can usually find a poll that shows that a majority of people agree with you. I’d suggest that is exactly what we saw happen on CNN Wednesday, when anchor Alisyn Camerota interviewed Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., about the debate surrounding Planned Parenthood. A May 2015…Genevieve Wood -
Anti-Corruption Protests Continue in Central America
For eight consecutive weeks, tens of thousands of people have flooded the streets in Guatemala and Honduras to protest government corruption in what Hondurans are calling “marcha de las anatorches,” or March of the Torches. The protests are a positive step for Hondurans and Guatemalans to keep government officials accountable. Accusations of bribery and tax…Lauren Wester -
Study Finds IRS Targeted Organizations in Biased Way
A report released on Thursday morning by the Government Accountability Office unveiled that the Internal Revenue Service specifically audited organizations in a biased manner. “The control deficiencies GAO found increase the risk that [the Exempt Organizations unit] could select organizations for examination in an unfair manner—for example, based on an organization’s religious, educational, political, or…Diana Stancy -
Planned Parenthood’s History of Scandal
With more than $500 million in taxpayer funding annually, it’s time for the American people to know the truth about Planned Parenthood. >>> Read More: 6 Scandals Involving Planned ParenthoodBen Howe -
House Strips Funding From Planned Parenthood Supporter in Wake of Scandal
The undercover video that sparked a scandal involving Planned Parenthood this week is reverberating beyond the abortion group, costing one of its allies millions of dollars. House GOP leaders had expected the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act to be uncontroversial until the Planned Parenthood controversy erupted and conservative grassroots organizations sounded the alarm. The…Kate Scanlon -
6 Scandals Involving Planned Parenthood
An undercover video was released Tuesday of a top official at Planned Parenthood discussing the sale of organs harvested from aborted babies. But it is not the first time a scandal has surrounded the organization. In its 2013-14 annual report, Planned Parenthood claimed it has “come a long way” as “our movement has come so far in nearly one…Samantha Reinis -
Export-Import Bank Connects US Taxpayers to Foreign Scandal
Marcelo Odebrecht, a Brazilian industrialist of immense wealth and power, was arrested and jailed recently on charges of corruption. He and dozens of other businessmen and politicians are accused of swindling the state-controlled oil company Petrobras—the largest business enterprise (by market capitalization) in the Southern Hemisphere. American taxpayers have a stake in this scandal: Both the…Diane Katz -
IRS Employees Erased 422 Backup Tapes Containing 24,000 of Lois Lerner’s Emails
Investigators at the Internal Revenue Service are looking to agency employees as the reason thousands of emails from former IRS official Lois Lerner were lost, and the agency’s watchdog said today their actions were a mistake. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) J. Russell George testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform…Leah Jessen